A Miscalculated Mistake
by Dodden
Summary: Clark makes a horrible mistake, but he soon realizes that Lois will not give up on him no matter how bad it was. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Title: A Miscalculated Mistake  
Rating: PG 13  
Author: Dodden  
Pairing: Clois  
Background: This is a different take on the episode entitled "Lucy". Everything is as it should be up to the point of where this fic takes off. This has always been one of my favorite episodes and I couldn't pass up the chance to change it to my liking. 

A/N: This was a one shot that had and epilogue. It's kind of grown on me, so we'll see if it goes anywhere else.

Ch.1

The truck was getting farther and farther away from the bridge. He made up his mind and went for it. With a running start, he pushed off of the edge with a gallant jump. Into the air he flew, his body breaking the wind around him as he went rushing high and far. Clark cursed under his breath as he realized that he was much too high up.

Lucy and Lois worked hard at trying to get the door open. There wasn't much they could do, but they tried anyways. They pushed on it some more. It was all in futility though; the lock from the outside was made of steel.

Lois gave up, her frustration with her sister and the situation becoming too much. "Damn it Lucy!" She screamed.

Lucy was leaning up against the doors, her head resting against it. She could hear the engine of the truck and the sound of the tires running on the road. It was all her fault. So many things had gone wrong, and yet, she knew that Lois would somehow find a way to belittle her. They weren't close, but they still had a strong family bond. "I'm so sorry Lois. I didn't mean for any of this."

Lois walked up to her sister by the back doors and smiled faintly. "I know Lucy, but I just wish that you would have gone to the General for money instead of turning to crime."

"I couldn't do it Lois; he would have been so disappointed in me." She closed her eyes and leaned her ear up against the door again. She just wanted to drown out all her concerns in he sound of tires on road.

Lois stood there and just looked at her sister. How her little sister could mastermind such a plan wasn't hard to believe. Lucy was a smart girl, but the fact that she was criminal though, it made her sick to her stomach. "Oh Lucy-."

Lucy put her hand over Lois's mouth suddenly. Something outside had changed. The sounds of the truck and the road were being drowned out by something else.

Lois frowned and moved Lucy's hand away. She was going to ask why, but she noticed the way her sister had her ear up against the door. Doing likewise, she picked up on something faint in the background of the truck.

"Sounds like another car." Lucy paused to listen more intently. "Do you think it's Lex?" She asked, looking at Lois with hope in her eyes.

"I don't know Lucy, I hope so." Lois leaned up against the door and listened more intently.

Clark continued to curse as he got closer to the trailer on the back of the truck. He had planned on landing on it, and sliding to the front, but he realized that there was no way he could do that. He was way too high, having misjudged his leap. "Damn." He cursed again as fell down towards the trailer. There was no way to avoid it, and he suddenly wished he could fly. The biggest problem was that he was going to have to explain it all to Lois and Lucy. There would be no way to get around their questions, it would just sound stupid. He had been so careful about his secret, and now he was just going to have to let two more people in on it. Another curse escaped his lips as he went crashing through the top of the trailer and landed on Lex's car inside.

Lois listened to the faint sound coming closer to the trailer. She and Lucy followed it up above their heads. Luckily the roof of the trailer was thin so the sunlight could get through. Lois looked up with Lucy. She could see a blurry shadow above, but she couldn't tell what it was.

"Is that a helicopter?" Lucy asked.

"It would explain the noise outside." Lois said, still staring up at the slowly passing shadow. Suddenly the noise was replaced by a low whistle as the shadow got bigger. Her eyes went wide as she realized it was heading straight down towards the trailer. She closed her eyes and grabbed a hold of Lucy, pulling her to the ground for cover. Lucy screamed her name as she shielded her. A loud crash could be heard as she clenched her eyes shut, scared for her life. A few seconds later, she opened them and looked behind her to see what it was. Her eyes almost popped out of her head as she saw Clark standing on top of Lex's car, his back turned to them.

Clark had landed right on the roof of the car. The windows had exploded as the roof had collapsed under his weight. It was nearly touching the back seat when he looked down. He was relieved that neither Lucy or Lois were in the car, otherwise he would have crushed them. His attention went from his landing to Lois and Lucy. He hesitated to turn around, worried and scared. How were they going to react? A slowly as he could, he moved his feet, forcing himself with all his might to just keep himself up. No one but his parents knew his secret, and now there was two more people going to find out.

Lois watched Clark slowly turn toward her. She was still holding tightly onto Lucy as she stared endlessly at him.

"Lois" Lucy said in a muffled voice. "Quit grabbing me so hard." When Lucy felt her arms actually clutch even harder, she pulled out of her grasp and stared at her. "What's gotten into you, we're fine." The look on her sister's face was unreadable. She didn't even seem to be listening to her. Frowning, she followed Lois's gaze. The site that greeted her eyes shook her to say the least. On the car stood Clark, his arms spread out from his waist a little, his back straight and rigid. The look on his face was so frightening she thought she might cry. It was a combination of fear, and relief, but there was something else she noticed. That was what scared her. She glanced up at the hole in the trailer and back down to the crushed car, her eyes just as wide as Lois's. "He didn't just…" She let the question fall off quietly.

Lois was unable to tear her eyes from Clark, who was now looking right back at her, but managed to blink, finally. "…Crash through the roof?" She finished her sister's question. Slowly, with wobbling legs, she lifted herself and Lucy up to their feet. Not for one second did her eyes leave Clark. Why wasn't he saying anything? She thought to herself. "Clark, are you okay?" She asked suddenly. She was worried, but frightened at the same time.

Clark took an uneasy step off the car. Things were going to get very complicated very quickly, and he didn't want them asking too many questions. He smiled at them helplessly. His attempt at lightening the mood didn't work though. He watched as both of them pushed up against the door even tighter. His stomach twisted around completely as he saw the look of terror in their eyes. About to take another step, he stopped suddenly. They feared him. That was the last thing he ever wanted. Their faces told him everything he needed to know. Without even a second thought, he stepped back on top of the car and climbed back out the hole in the roof.

Lois watched as Clark went back out the hole. Her mind was running in circles, but she finally realized why he left. The look on her sister's face could not have been much different than hers. That look had scared him off she realized. Bringing enough courage to herself, she walked over to the car with Lucy and got up on it. Her eyes were still wider than golf balls as she stared at what was once a car. Slowly her gaze lifted back up to the hole.

Clark stood there, his shadow enveloping them as he stared down into the trailer. "I'm sorry." He said.

Lois watched as Clark stood on the trailer, his body unmoving as the wind from the moving truck made his clothes whip violently. She was about to get another word out, but he turned around and walked into the wind effortlessly. "Hoist me." She said quickly to Lucy. Her sister obliged as she felt a hand support her under her left foot. Half balancing on Lucy's hand, and grabbing the steel bar, she peeked up over the hole. The wind hit her square in the face, her eyes tearing up instantly. She fought to hold herself from being blown back down as she watched a blurry Clark walk onto the roof of the truck.

With tears running down his cheeks, Clark walked on top of the roof of the truck. Things had gone so much worse than he had feared. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he knew he'd have to stop Becker no matter how he was feeling. He walked to the edge of the roof at the front, turning around to let the heels of his boots to go slightly over the edge. He watched as Lois's head popped out of the whole. A meek and helpless grin took a hold of his face.

Lois stared in fright as Clark stood at the edge of the truck facing her. She could faintly hear Lucy talking below, but she ignored her. Clark suddenly jumped back, vanishing in front of the truck. "CLARK!" She screamed. Lucy let go of her hold a second later and her grip on the roof slipped. She fell to her feet, landing on Lucy and the car. Scrambling to keep her balance, she felt a reassuring arm grab her.

"What happened?" Lucy asked, turning Lois back around to look at her. All she received was wide eyes and tears. She had never seen Lois cry before, and frankly, it scared her to death.

Clark hung weightlessly in the air for a split second. The combination of the wind and his jump made him feel like he was flying. That split second disappeared as he went crashing through the windshield, his legs smashing into Backers face with lightning speed. Clark cringed as he felt the man's nose break under his right foot. The seat broke and fell back as he sat on the steering wheel, keeping the truck form going off the road. An unconscious Becker fell back with along with the seat. Getting off the steering wheel gingerly, he turned and put his foot on the brake.

Lois had her mouth open about to speak when the truck slowed down. It caused both of them fall backwards onto the trailer floor, their bodies sliding across it. They hit their heads on the back doors as the truck came to a stop.

Lucy cried out in pain as she reached for her head. A lump was already present as she rolled over onto her back. She looked over and saw that Lois was luckier than she was. Her sister had taken the impact with more of her shoulder than her head.

Lois opened her eyes to look at Lucy. No words passed between them as she continued to cry. She was usually so strong and resilient, but the way Clark had looked at her made her unable keep the moisture from falling. Somehow she knew Clark had never showed anyone his abilities like that. She also knew it had been a mistake; the look on his face had clearly given that away. For some strange reason she felt a strong connection to him, as if he was calling out for her help.

Struggling to her feet, Lois helped Lucy up. Determined to get out and find Clark, she moved towards the car again to climb out. Light erupted from behind them as the doors of the trailer swung wide open. "Clark?" She turned around to see Lex and his security team staring back at her.

Lex raised an eyebrow and stared at both of them. "Clark?" He asked with a laugh. "Why would you think Clark was here?"

Lois looked over at her sister, who was staring right back at her. "Not a word." Lois said softly, her voice laden with seriousness. "Not a single damn word."

-

Clark Climbed out of the front window once the truck came to a stop. Dropping to the pavement, he leaned up against the grill. Taking a deep breath, he dropped a few more tears. The sound of Lex's security team was audible in the background. Closing his eyes, he stood up straight and took a deep breath. There wasn't any way he would be able to look at Lois or Lucy again. Without really thinking, he started walking down the road backwards. He got his last look of the outskirts of Smallville as he turned suddenly and sped off into the distance.

-

Lois drove furiously, her car spinning its wheels on the loose gravel as she mad haste to the Kent farm. A million things were running through her head at the moment, but only one thing stayed constant. She had to find Clark.

The dust collected behind her as she pushed her vehicle to its limits. There was nothing in the world that could stop her from reaching her goal. The moment Clark had laid his eyes on her after he crashed through the trailer; she knew she couldn't allow him to do something he might regret. She blamed herself of course. If she hadn't been so hesitant and scared at that particular moment, maybe, just maybe Clark would not have run off. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she reached the farm, the emotions of the moment reaching enormous levels as she tried desperately to put away the gnawing feeling of guilt that ate away at her gut.

When Lex had asked her what had happened, and specifically about Clark, she just ignored him and made him drive her back to the Mansion. Lex had asked a million questions, but neither she nor Lucy had answered a single one. From the Mansion, she had left Lucy there and taken her car and headed back to the Kent farm.

She drove under the Kent Farm sign and up to the barn. She knew he'd be in the loft. There was no other place in the world where Clark felt like being when he was alone. Parking the vehicle, she ran into the barn and up the loft stairs. Her heart was racing a mile a minute as she began to ponder what she was going to say. At that moment though, she just hoped he was there. Reaching the top of the stairs, she relaxed a little as she saw him sitting on the couch, staring forward blankly while juggling something in his right hand. She approached him cautiously. She chastised herself mentally, realizing that being cautious only made it look like she was afraid. Taking a deep breath, she walked right up to him.

"Clark?" She asked softly. He didn't answer. "Clark?" She asked again, and again he didn't answer, his eyes still staring blankly forward. "Talk to me dammit!" she ordered.

Clark just continued to sit there, his eyes staring at his desk aimlessly. He knew Lois was yelling at him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at her. Too many emotions were coursing through his body that he couldn't bring himself to pick one and express it. So there he sat, for minutes on end as Lois tried to get his attention over and over again.

With tears streaming down her pale white cheeks, she sat down beside him; grabbing his arm, hoping that contact would rip him back to earth. It didn't though, and she continued to tug at him with all her might. He just sat there like a stone, his face blank and lifeless. Unlike before, she couldn't read his eyes; they were so dark and lost. Crying openly, she tugged at him as hard as she could. "Damn it Clark!" She screamed loudly, her eyes blurry with tears. She hated seeing him like this; it tore her heart to pieces. He was her friend, and unlike most people she would never let a friend suffer the way he was. "Just talk to me." She said softly, giving up and collapsing into his lap. Her tears fell onto his knees as she kneeled on the floor.

Clark got up suddenly, removing his body from Lois's. Why did she care? he wondered to himself. She was scared of him, and that was probably for the best. No one should ever have to be put through the pain of knowing him. All he did was bring pain and death upon those around him. Still juggling the object in his closed palm, he looked out the loft window, his eyes slowly scanning the sky. How he wished he could just jump out of the loft and never return, to keep those he cherished safe by leaving.

Lois got up of her knees and went over to Clark and tugged on his arm again. She wasn't going to give up; he would never give up on her.

He felt her at his arm again, but this time he didn't ignore her. "I'm leaving." He said gravely. He kept his eyes staring forward.

"What?" Lois asked, stepping back in surprise. "Where?"

Clark just looked out the loft window, his mind running over ideas. "Away." He replied simply. "Away." He said again, more softly. Turning, he walked towards the stairs, but was halted when Lois tugged on his arm yet again. "Let go of me." He growled, wrenching his arm free as he clutched the object in his fist even tighter. Rushing down the stairs, he made his way out of the barn and into the driveway.

Lois ran after him, her insides turning over in rebellious fits of pain and anguish. "Clark." She screamed again. "Don't go." She reached him as he began to stare at the sky. Standing in front of him, she cupped his head in her hands and directed his head down to her eyes. "I don't care what you are Clark, I don't care what you can do. To me you're still Smallville. My Friend."

Clark stared into her brown eyes, trying to keep himself from breaking down in her arms.

"No one will care Clark. We will all accept you, no matter whom or what you are." She pleaded with him quickly, feeling as if her window of opportunity was slowly slipping away.

Clark forced a smile. He knew Lois would never judge him, but he also knew that not everyone was Lois. "You may be able to handle it Lois, but others won't. And for that reason, I have put everyone in danger." His features went to stone again as he grasped her wrists and removed her hands from his face. "I must leave. You and everyone else are not safe unless I leave.

Lois was at the end of her rope. Her tears were falling rapidly as she made one last attempt to keep him from leaving. "We can't live without you Clark." Her throat tightened as she took his face in her hands again, staring deep into his eyes. "I can't live without you."

He stared deep into her eyes, reading her soul like a book. He could see the pain that she was feeling. It wasn't the pain of losing a friend, but the pain of loosing someone she cared more for than anyone else. At that moment he didn't feel alone, but he quickly shoved the feeling away, and brought the object on his hand towards his face. Staring at the ring, he slowly put it on his left hand. The familiar feeling of Red Kryptonite filled his body as he shook uncontrollably in Lois's grasp.

Lois watched as Clark put on a red ring. A moment later she watched his eyes glow bright red and his face turn into a smile. "Goodbye Lois." He said confidently, trying to move out of her grasp.

She just clutched his face harder. "I'm not letting you leave Clark, not your parents, not me." She could see that her words were eating away at him, no matter how much he tried to ignore them.

"Then come with me." He said, staring deep into her wet brown eyes.

"Where?" She asked, surprised.

"I don't know, anywhere but here."

She struggled with what he was saying, but she had promised herself she wouldn't give up on him. Shaking, she nodded. She closed her eyes as she felt him lift her into his arms. Wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, she closed her eyes and let a final tear drop. "I won't give up on you Clark." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she felt a sudden rush to her head.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch.2

He sped across the Midwest, a vapor trail of heat from the friction of gravity and air the only sign that he had passed through. In a matter of minutes he had them out of Kansas and on their way towards his first destination. He felt Lois snuggle into him tighter as he broke the speed of sound. The Red-K coursing through his veins made him grin wildly as he held her tightly. So long had he missed the feeling of the little red rocks presence. Too long had he ignored his inner being. Kal-El was unleashed, and there wasn't a thing in the world that would make him feel bad as long as he had the ring on.

One problem about switching personalities was the fact that he still had his other memories. Even though the red kryptonite made him feel confident and invulnerable, he still couldn't shrug the feelings that Clark inhabited. He snorted a laugh thinking about how Clark felt; the man was pathetic and weak. What person would be scared and afraid if they possessed his abilities? Laughing out sharply, he looked down to notice Lois's eyes were closed and the tears that were once there were now gone.

He sped on forwards, crossing from one state to another in mere seconds as time slowed around him. He knew Lois wouldn't be able to take much more; her head must have been hurting horribly. Slowing down just inside the Arizona border, he found a run down motel. It was late afternoon, the sun still up as he had shifted across time zones. Noticing that Lois was asleep in his arms, he walked into the motel office and bought a room. He took the keys from a sweet elderly woman and went to their room. Sliding the key into the keyhole, he turned it and opened the door. His nose curled up in displeasure as he smelt the horrible stench of mold and smoke. Normally he would only stay at the ritziest hotels when Kal, but Clark was having an effect of him for some reason. Plus, he lacked money at the moment.

With Lois still in his arms, he closed the door with his foot and flicked on the light. The bulb blinked a couple times before it lit up fully. Frowning in disappointment about the disco era wallpaper and uncomfortable looking bed, he set a slumbering Lois on the mattress. It wasn't even dark out yet, but he knew she would sleep until morning. No mere human could withstand such high speeds without being affected in some way.

He closed the drapes and sighed. Looking down at his left hand, he slowly put his right index finger and thumb on the ring. With a grunt, he quickly pulled the ring off. Falling to the floor in a sudden heap of bones and emotion, he lied flat on his stomach. He breathed heavily against the floor as he began to cry. All the feelings that the ring had hidden and shoved aside came rushing back into him with such force he couldn't move. The sobs escaping his throat caused his body to rack violently as tears fell from his eyes. Taking a few deep breaths, he worked his way up to his knees and rested on his fists.

So many things had gone wrong, and all he could do was cry. He lifted his head to notice Lois sleeping peacefully on the bed. What had he done? He cried to himself. He had dragged Lois into all of it. He tried to remind himself that she came with him willingly, but no matter how much he forced himself to believe that, he couldn't. Sitting back on his heels, he wiped away his tears and pulled the blankets up over Lois, tucking them under her chin. In what could only be described as being in a decrepit emotional state, he still managed a smile as he watched how beautifully Lois slept. The pinkish hue in her cheeks gave her a wonderful flustered look that he found incredibly attractive.

Shaking himself mentally, he stood up on wobbly legs. There was no way he was going to be able to get or do anything without the ring on. He was incredibly exhausted. Sighing mightily, he slipped the ring on, feeling the power enter his system once again. Unlike previous times though, the feeling wasn't as powerful. It was if something deep within him still knew that he was not okay. He knew this was the only way things could get done at the moment, and he could feel the power and confidence begin to grow stronger by the second. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the door, turned off the light and exited. Turning around, he locked the door and walked towards the freeway that was bustling with mid afternoon traffic. He looked down at his clothes and grunted in displeasure. First thing he was going to do was get new attire. Eyeing the sign that said one hundred and twenty miles to Phoenix, he took of at the near speed of light.

In a matter of seconds, he was in the city of Phoenix. The heat of the near desert like conditions made his body sweat just a little. The sun fed his energy, causing the ring on his hand to blink softly. With renewed vigor, he clenched his left hand convincingly and made his way to the closest bank. This was just a one time stop, he didn't plan on staying long, so he just walked to one of the ATM's and smiled down upon it. Quicker than a blink of an eye, he smashed his hand through the top panel and into the vault inside the machine. Grinning wildly, he pulled out enough cash for the time being, making sure that his larceny wasn't exactly grand in the sense of criminal activity.

Stuffing numerous bills into his pockets, he looked around to see if anyone was watching. He was careful enough to avoid making eye contact with the security cameras as he spied the exit. Normally he would have taken much more money, but for some reason the red kryptonite wasn't working as well as it usually did. He frowned and walked out the front door, the heat from outside slamming into him as he exited the air conditioned bank. Smiling up at the sun, he walked down the sidewalk casually as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. He stuck his hands into his pockets as he watched numerous people walk past him and frown at his flannel shirt, jeans, and work boots.

The glares he received only caused his anger to boil even more as he shot back murderous glances to each person who looked at him funny. He walked a little farther down the street and spied a clothing store. Raising his head up and quietly thanking himself, he walked into the store; his pockets bulging from the numerous bills that were stashed in them. A portly bald headed man came walking up to him and inquired as to his tastes. In a matter of minutes, Kal had a new wardrobe picked out. A silk black dress shirt, long black dress pants and fine pair of black Italian leather shoes. Looking at himself in the mirror, he turned to the man who was attending him and tossed him a stack of bills. "I'll wear it out thank you." He said with a sly grin.

"What about you other clothes sir?" The man asked.

Kal walked over and fished his wallet out of the back of one of the jean pockets. Slipping it into his new pants, he quickly transferred the cash into his new pants as well. Finishing his transportation of money, he stood back in front of the mirror and fixed his collar. "Throw them out; I won't be needing them anymore." He admired how good he looked as he raised an eyebrow at the man who was still staring at him. "Throw them out." He said with more authority. His patience was certainly thin this afternoon. He briskly made his way over to the door and exited the store, not bothering with the tags and the security beeper that was singing loudly. Ripping of the tags, he continued his waltz down the streets of Phoenix.

Sticking his hands in his pockets again, he felt the money that occupied them. He smiled evilly to himself as he felt the edges of each bill with a coarse finger. He was going to have some fun while in town, maybe even show the people of this city in the dessert what having fun was really about. Rolling up his sleeves in a fashionable manner, he passed a group of high school girls who were walking home. He flashed them a quick grin, eliciting giggles and smiles from the group of young woman. This was the part of himself he loved the most. When he was Kal, women were his play toys, and men's jealousy was his drive. There was no feeling like having people gawk and stare in wonder.

The daylight was not his favorite time, but he could play along with it for the time being. When the night came, that was when he really shone. He did know that he was going to need supply of things to keep both him and Lois going. Mundane acts of buying toothpaste and combs were extremely tedious and annoying to him with the ring on, but he forced himself to buy the necessary things they needed. Sucking up his pride as Kal was much easier than taking the ring off and being rendered an emotional wreck as he tried to buy the necessities they needed. He could have went around speeding through the city and stealing everything he needed, but the day wasn't even close to done, so he just wasted his time until the night came.

Glancing at his new watch, he grumbled at the time. It was mid march and the days were getting longer. Luckily he remembered that daylight savings time was not in effect yet. It was a quarter past six and he didn't know what to do. Sliding into a back alley, he set his bags down and rested his head up against a brick building. Sighing again, he reached and removed the ring. He knew that too much exposure to the ring would affect him permanently. He had learned that the hard way when he had ran away previously to Metropolis. The ring fell out of his fingers as he suddenly fell to the alley pavement in a heap. His short and ragged breaths were a clear indication of how much energy and will power he needed to simply take the ring off.

He leaned his head back, slowing his breathing as much as he could. Sudden images of his parents and friends crossed his mind as he sat there with his eyes closed. They were likely running around and looking for both of them now. He only hoped that Lucy had explained it to his parents by now. The alley provided well needed shade as he stared at the ring lying between his legs. Red Kryptonite was the solution to all his problems. He scoffed at himself suddenly. He had promised himself and his parents before that he would never willingly put the ring on again, but once again he had disappointed them. There was no possible way he could return to them. This was the final straw, and he was sure that none of them would ever want him back.

Another sigh overtook his body as he thought about Lois. He had dragged her into all of this, no matter how much she had willingly agreed to come along with him. He had to admit, even thought he felt terrible that she came along, he was happy that he had a friend to keep him from getting completely lonely. He knew that when he was lonely, he tended to get wilder when on Red-K. His mind turned to Lucy. The woman had seen exactly what Lois had, and all he could do was hope that she would handle it well. He knew Lois's sister was in on the whole dirty deal with Becker, but he was confident that Lucy would keep her mouth shut, especially around Lex. What unnerved him the most was the fact that the woman wasn't afraid to use family as a collateral casualty. That was almost below anything Lex had ever attempted.

Shaking his head in frustration, he quietly wondered how he had gotten himself into such a crappy predicament just because he had mistimed a jump. If only once he could have done the right thing and ran after the truck, but no, he had to leap. He banged his head against the wall, the brick cracking as he got more and more frustrated with himself. Reaching over to the bag in his lap, he fished out a small bag of chips and opened them. Digging out an oven roasted salty snack, he plopped it into his mouth and sighed in exasperation. Was this how his life was going to be like from now on? Running around from city to city with a woman in tow, eating chips in an alley while patiently awaiting the return of red kryptonite to his body? Hating himself for getting Lois involved, he punched the ground beside him, the tar surface of the alley cracking and depressing below his fist.

Then there was Chloe and Lana. Truth to tell, he wasn't going to miss Lana. Things between them were strained enough as it was, but he was really going to miss his best friend. She was always there when he needed her. Yes, Chloe had had him investigated for Lionel Luthor, but he really knew she didn't mean to. The days of walking into the torch and greeting her smiling face were over. As much as he wanted to see that face again, he would never be able to pull himself together and be able to do it. His life in Smallville was over.

His thoughts turned back to Lois momentarily. He smiled as he remembered her sleeping peacefully on the motel bed. Things had been the most strange with her. It had really all started a day earlier when Lucy had shown up. First he had equated her weird behavior as just nervousness about seeing her sister for the first time in years, but he could have sworn she was jealous of the way Lucy flirted with him. Lois hated him, or she made it seem that way. There wasn't anything he had felt for the brunette, but when the woman said that she wouldn't let him leave her, he realized that he had been hiding feelings that he was so confused about. Even with the help of ring, he was still confused at it. Usually the ring made him so self aware of woman's hormones and aura's he could sniff them out one by one and drive them wild, but Lois, even with Red-K, was still a mystery.

Clenching his fist once again, he pounded the asphalt again. "Why dammit?" He seethed between clenched teeth. Slowly and quietly, he settled himself down and continued his assault on the chip bag in his left hand. Every bite seemed like an indictment of his foolish actions, causing his heart to drop a little each time he plucked another chip from the bag. It took a surprisingly long time to eat the small bag. With the combination of a million things running through his head, and the food that seemed to lingering in his mouth, he had simply lost track of time. What would have made the picture more pathetic was if it would begin to rain. Luckily for him he was in a city that saw a scarcity of it. Glancing at his watch, he smiled at the time and how dark it was outside. Seven thirty and already it was dark.

He spied a garbage dumpster in front of him and tossed as the now crumpled bag of chips into it. His hands dropped lazily down to his side as his eyes lingered on the brown dumpster. Slowly but surely, his gaze fell down to the ring that continued to stare up at him, bidding him, encouraging him to out it on. Sometimes he felt like Frodo, the ring calling out to him, trying to bring out an evil that he couldn't master. It was his precious, but not in a creepy way, but a dependant way. The ring was going to become a regular contributor to his life. There was no way he was going to be able to deal with his pain without the aid of it. Someday he wished he might be able to, but the sorrow he felt at that particular moment told him it wasn't likely to happen.

Picking up the ring, he rolled it around his hand while eyeing it seductively. Even without the ring on, he could feel its effects slowly seep into him as he fondled it. It was a feeling unlike anything he knew in the world. His whole life he had been afraid to use his powers, afraid of what people would think. As Kal though, he felt liberated and free. He longed to put it on, yet something in the back of his mind always told him it was dangerous, and that's probably why he never let it consume him too much before he took it off. Starting to feel the effects of the day's events on his heart weigh more heavily, he did the only thing he knew that could make him feel better. He slipped the ring on and stood, his stupid grin plastered to his face again, along with his shopping bag in hand.

Walking out of the alley and back onto the sidewalk, he eyed the faint pink glow of the sunset through the city lights. Juggling the bag in his hand, he sped out of view and back towards the motel. He was a little light headed as he reached the motel; he had gone a too fast this time around. Shaking the cobwebs out of his head, he opened the door to find Lois still sleeping peacefully on the bed. Finding a piece of paper, he scribbled a note on it and put it by the bag of supplies on the desk by the door. Standing up and stretching his back, he couldn't help but grin. He was going to have some fun tonight. There was no feeling like exploring a new city and all the debauchery that came along with it. Locking the door behind him once again, he took off towards the city once again, determined to not let Clark's feelings get in the way of the sudden feeling of euphoria that the ring was providing.

-

Martha stood at the sink, worried about her son and Lois. Neither had come home for dinner, and that was incredibly strange as both of them ate like ravenous dogs. She smiled briefly at how much alike they both were, even if they argued all the time. Wrapping the towel around a pot, she removed the remaining suds and hung it over the faucet tap.

Jonathon had been out looking for them, and Chloe was with him. Neither knew where they were, but they were determined to find both Clark and Lois. Martha sighed heavily as she leaned on the sink, her palms tightening on the counter edge as she wished that they would be found. She knew Clark could and Lois could both fend for themselves, but for some reason she had sick feeling in her stomach that she couldn't ignore. The smell of coffee overcame the kitchen as she turned to the freshly made pot and poured a mug. The sound of tires on gravel suddenly made there presence known as she took a small sip. Hoping that it was Clark and Lois, she rushed to the front door. She was surprised to see that it was Lois's sister Lucy. "Lucy, I thought that Lex wouldn't let you leave the mansion?"

Lucy walked up on the porch and stood in front of Martha with resignation and fear in her voice. "I got him to let me go for a minute. There is something I need to tell you."

"Sure sweetie, come in and tell me. I just put on a fresh pot of coffee while Jonathon and Chloe are looking for Clark and Lois."

Lucy let herself get ushered into the farmhouse as her legs noticeably shook. "They're not going to find them." She said abruptly, interrupting Martha's pouring of a cup of coffee."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked the young Lane, her eyes intent on reading the expression on her face.

Lucy took the cup from the older woman and took a deep breath. "Clark ran off. I know he did, and I'm pretty sure Lois went with him."

Martha shook her head trying to grab any understanding. "Why would they run off?" Things were getting more complicated by the second.

"Lois and I both saw what Clark can do." The words came out softy, and in a haggard whisper, but she forced them out with all her might. She didn't really understand what Clark's abilities were about, so she could only speculate.

Martha's eyes went wide as she set her own cup on the counter. The woman had just said something that she thought she would never hear. "You saw Clark use his…" She let the question linger, her hopes fighting for the woman to shake her head. When Lucy nodded her head instead of shaking it, her eyes dropped lazily to the ground in defeat. As she sunk into one of the stools at the island counter, she let out a beep breath. "What exactly happened Lucy?" She asked weakly.

Lucy began her words by explaining the situation. The more she got into it; she could see Martha visibly shaking. By the time she was done, the older woman was in tears. Lucy didn't know what to do, her emotions caught up in a whirlwind of factious surrender and defeat. Seeing such a strong woman as Martha Kent crying made her feel empty inside. She hadn't felt this way since her mother died, and even then, she didn't cry, really too young to understand it all.

Chloe and Jonathon entered the house suddenly. There faces were etched with concern as they both noticed two crying woman in the kitchen. Jonathon wrapped his arms around his wife and whispered to her. "What's wrong? Is it about Clark and Lois?"

Martha hugged to her husband with all her might. "They both ran off, I don't know where, but Lucy says she and Lois both saw Clark us his-." Her words stopped in her mouth as they all turned to notice Chloe standing there, her eyes wide.

Chloe gaped at them for a second. She knew exactly why Mrs. Kent had stopped her words. "Don't worry, I know about Clark's abilities." She stared at three pairs of confused faces as she moved to the coffee pot. "I've known for about a month." She turned back to them and explained to them how Alicia had shown her before she was killed. "I would never betray Clark, I hope you know that."

Jonathon wrapped Chloe in a hug a second later. "We know you wouldn't Chloe, you're a very good friend." He pulled back and looked to Lucy. "Do you have any idea where he went?"

Lucy shook her head. "I have no idea, but the way we were looking at him, no wonder he ran away."

Martha hugged an emotionally broken Lucy. "Clark and Lois will be alright. He will look after her if she followed him. There is no way he would allow harm come to her." She squeezed the young woman tighter to herself. "They will come back when they can, but right now, we can only pray that they're fine."

Chloe took a sip of her coffee and stopped suddenly, something in her mind clicked. "Is this in any way similar to the time where he ran off to Metropolis? Do you think he went back there?"

Jonathon's brow furrowed, but his heart was registering something completely different. He looked over at his wife, who was disengaging herself from Lucy. "He could be, but that would mean he…" He let his words drop slowly as he took a sharp breath. A second later he bolted out of the house and towards the barn. Up the loft stairs he flew, his shirt whipping wildly as he reached the loft. Darting to Clark's desk, he opened the drawer. He held up a small box and felt the extremely light weight of it. His heart sunk to the bottom of his stomach, he didn't need to open it to know that the ring was gone. He heard the others finally catching up to him, reaching the stairs behind him.

"What is it?" Martha asked, concerned at how fast and quick her husband had darted out of the house.

He stood up, the box in hand and opened it on front of them.

Martha gasped, the air in her lungs suddenly ceasing to do anything but stand still.

Chloe and Lucy both looked at Mr. Kent with questioning eyes. "What's supposed to be in the box?" Chloe asked.

"A ring." Jonathon said weakly, his worst fears having come true.

"What does it mean that it's gone?" Lucy asked, still confused.

Jonathon looked at Lois's little sister and sighed heavily. "It means that he is not himself. We are not dealing with rational and collective Clark, we are dealing with cool, slick, confident, and worst of all, dangerous Kal."

"Who's Kal?" Chloe asked quickly.

He ushered them back down the stairs and towards the house, flipping the box shut with his right hand. "There are some things we are going to tell you that no others know, and I hope that you can handle it, because it may be the only chance of ever finding them again."


	3. Chapter 3

Ch.3

Kal prowled the streets, his heightened senses picking out everything along the entertainment strip. Lights flashed incessantly along the street as he eyed the many bars and clubs that were jumping with life and noise. It wasn't even ten yet and already there were long line ups at each place. Finding a club that had the music he was grooving for, he made his way over to it. Never one for lines, he pushed his way through the throngs of people. Men yelled at him, while women stared lustfully. A man grabbed him to halt his forward movement, but he just shrugged off the contact and made his way up to the bouncers. Flashing some green in their faces, he watched as they opened the door for him. One day he was going to have to teach Clark that money was really what made things happen. Money was true power.

Entering the club, he cringed a little at the loudness of the music. His sensitive ears were being damaged by the loud thump of bass. Growling in pain, he made his way from the speakers towards the bar, his shirt wavering open around the neck. He grinned at all the women he passed, pleasure being derived from seeing them swoon. He really had his way with them, if only Clark wasn't such a boy scout, he could have them all too. It was too late though, Clark had given up, he was Kal now, and they were one.

He walked up to the bar and stepped between a women and a man talking. He assumed they were there together, but he didn't care. Eyeing the bartender, he order a beer and turned back to stare into two beautiful blue eyes. "Hello there gorgeous." He said with a grin, his teeth shining brightly.

"Hey buddy, that's my girlfriend." The man grabbed the intruder by the shoulder to move him away.

Kal just shrugged it off and drained the beer in one swallow. He could see the blonde haired woman in a skimpy black skirt and red halter top was sniffing in his cologne. She was instantly hooked, and he knew she was all his. "Care to dance beautiful?" He asked her, his eyes staring deep into hers.

"Hey buddy, I told you she was mine, buzz off." The man grabbed the taller man's shoulder once again.

Kal was about to turn around and make a spectacle, but the woman in front of him grabbed his arm.

"Tony, I'm going to dance with him." She didn't take her eyes off of the beautiful man in front of her as she led him onto the dance floor, leaving behind her mutely shocked boyfriend who stood watching them from the bar.

Clark followed her onto the dance floor, his grin even wider than before. The beat started to pick up as he drove his knee in-between her legs to get closer. He heard her gasp as he playfully touched her cheek. She was his, and he possessively laid claim to her.

For an hour they danced, grinding and sweating up against each other as they both refused to quit. His hands were exploring every inch of her body as they mingled in the crowd. Her face came close to his, and grasped the back of her head, forcing his tongue into her mouth with such ferocity it took her a second to respond. For almost a minute they grappled with each others tongues, their eyes both closed as they lost themselves in each beat of the song. Finally pulling back, he noticed that she was totally exhausted. As she began to come back up for another kiss, he heard something in the distance. Letting go of the woman in front of him, he focused more intently on the sound. He couldn't make it out very well as the music was drowning it out. As quick as he could, he pushed his way through the crowd and outside, leaving a shocked woman standing alone on the dance floor.

Smashing through the doors, he wandered out into the street, his ears trying desperately to focus in on the sound. He stood there for a minute, awaiting it, and then suddenly it was there again.

"_Kal-El." _The voice in the distance said.

Kal turned around abruptly, his vision staring off into the distance as he tried desperately to locate the origin of the sound. He heard his name once again as he once again tried to find its origins. He was so distracted by the sound; he had completely forgotten that he was standing in the middle of a busy street. His attention was ripped away as he heard a loud horn. An SUV suddenly slammed into him. He had just enough time to outstretch his hands and allow his palms to take the force. The vehicle hit his hands with a loud crunch, the wheels lifting off the ground as the driver went flying through the window at him. Clark would have helped them man flying through the air, but he wasn't Clark. The vehicle came crashing back to the pavement as the driver flew across the street unconscious. Not bothering to see if anyone had seen what had transpired, he just walked away, his ears once again trying to pick up his name in the distance.

He found himself running, his body rushing against the wind as he sped towards the sound. Something in the back of his mind was telling him he was going somewhere where he shouldn't be. With that, he stopped and looked at his surroundings. He was quickly surrounded by the familiar countryside of Kansas. The moon was shining brightly as he tried to piece together what was going on. Grumbling in displeasure, he focused in on the sound again. He picked it up and went cautiously towards it. "Of course!" He spit, staring at Clark's earth father, who was holding the key for the cave wall in his right hand. Snarling, he watched as Jonathon Kent once again yelled his name. He approached Clark's adoptive father who stood in the driveway of the farm.

"That's mine." He growled menacingly.

Jonathon spun around, his eyes going wide at seeing his son dressed like a greasy club jumping beast. "Son." He said quickly; glad to see his only offspring back on the farm. "Come home son." He pleaded, knowing full well he was dealing with Kal-El. Suddenly he cursed himself that he didn't have any green Kryptonite on him. "Take off the ring and tell us where Lois is and we can get you both home."

Kal just stood there, snarling even louder, his patience with this mere human having come to an end. "What were you expecting? To make me come home by talking to me?" He laughed out suddenly. He grinned as he saw Jonathon take a collective step back. "Clark is gone forever. He will never return."

Jonathon swallowed the lump in his throat as he clenched onto the key even tighter. "What about Lois?" He yelled at his only son, his own anger about the situation coming to a head. He saw something suddenly shift in the eyes of Kal-el, but as soon as it appeared, it was gone.

Kal stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I guess if she wants to come back, I'll bring her." He paused to look at the key clenched in the man's hand. "That's a powerful weapon." He growled.

"I know." Jonathon said in response.

Kal chuckled again. "Too bad it's useless to me." He said quickly. He grinned even wider as he saw the look of surprise on Jonathon's Kent's face. "Now, I'll warn you once. If you try to do this again, I will destroy you, and you know I will." He fondled the ring on his left ring finger as he smiled. "Now, take one last look at your son's body, for it will be the last time you will ever lay eyes upon it." With one swift motion, he turned around and sped off.

-

Jonathon stood there, his eyes staring off into the distance as he watched his son disappear from their lives. Something in those words told him it was the truth. Kal never broke his promise. The key fell from his hand and to the ground in a thud. The pain of losing his son soon became too much for him as he felt a huge searing pain shoot up his left arm. Gasping for breath, he managed to scream his wife's name before he fell to the ground in unbearable pain.

-

Kal looked at his watch as he ran through the states once again, his destination the run down hotel where he knew Lois was sleeping. His night hadn't gone exactly as he had planned, but it was enough to satisfy him for one evening. The exhilaration of running calmed him. It had taken all his will power not to destroy Clark's father. He could have sworn that Clark had crept into him for a moment at the mention of Lois, but he was quite sure that wasn't the case. Finding the motel, he slowed down and opened the door quietly. Lois was still sleeping, so he walked around the bed and headed for the bathroom. For some reason, all he felt like doing was showering.

Stripping off his clothes outside the bathroom, he dropped them into a heap just outside the door. He walked into the old and dank bathroom, closing the door behind him. He was really getting disgusted with the living arrangements. He had money now, and could certainly afford to buy a nice room in the city, but a slumbering Lois had stopped him from doing so. Grumbling under his breath, he stepped into the tub and turned on the water full blast. He smiled at the water pressure. Turning the water tap all the way to the red indicator glued on the faucet, he stepped into the water and let it run down his body.

He hung there, his hand draped over the shower head as he let the water cascade down his naked body. Pulling back, he suddenly felt the weight of the ring begin to crush down upon him. Struggling within himself, he managed to snake his thumb and finger overtop of it. Willing himself, he slid the ring up to his fingernail, the red kryptonite struggling to keep it on his finger. With one last final gasp, he pulled the ring off, his body falling into the tub as he was rendered unconscious.

-

Lois grumbled as she felt the blankets on her body stick to her sweating body. Her eyes struggled to open as she crinkled her nose up at the pungent smell of smoke and mold. She had no idea where she was, but she could still remember why it all felt so alien. With her eyes still closed, she peeled off one layer of blankets and groaned at the intolerable heat that was wafting into the room. Finally able to open her eyes, she noticed she was in a small motel room. Turning onto her back, she slowly removed the rest of the blankets from her sticky body. Where is the world would was she that it was so damn hot?

Pushing herself back and sitting up against the headboard, she removed her soaked shirt. The sick feeling of sweat and grime had drenched it. In nothing but her jeans and bra, she rested her head back. It was pounding slightly, but it hadn't hurt as bad as when Clark was running with her in his arms. Her mind suddenly went to Clark; she heard the sound of running water as she wiped away the mess of tangled hair that was strewn across her face. Even her hair was soaked in sweat. Looking to the bathroom door, she could see the light on. The sound of the water falling convinced her Clark was showering.

A hundred things went through her mind as she looked around the motel room as she sat aimlessly on the bed. Everything she thought about went straight to Clark. Things had happened so quickly she was having trouble piecing any of it together. First he came crashing through the roof of the trailer, squashing Lex's car like a bug, then the next thing she knew he had jumped in front of the truck. Rubbing her eyes in frustration, she tried to refocus them to the dark room. An alarm clock beside her said eight thirty, but she couldn't be sure, it was a dankly old motel room and it wouldn't be much of stretch if the time was wrong. She could see a hint of sunshine poking through the curtain, and she would have gotten up to open it, but it was hot enough already.

She felt her stomach growl as she silently hoped Clark would finish up so she could wash her own slimy body. She had always known Clark had secrets, but never did she expect that they were meteor powers. Her cousin had always told her that Smallville was weird, and she found that out rather quickly, but never did she think that someone close to her was a meteor freak. "Smarten up." She scolded herself. Clark wasn't a freak, he was a good person. He was always there for whenever anyone needed him, and would never do anything to hurt someone. He wasn't really a freak like all the others; he was, well, he was Clark. He was entirely unique.

Smiling to herself just a little, she found a remote beside the alarm clock and turned on the ancient TV that adorned the opposite side of the room across from the bed. Her mind began to wander to the earlier events again as she flicked through numerous channels of static. Clark had looked so scared, so vulnerable, yet all she did was feel drawn to him. Why? She had no idea, but for some reason she knew he needed someone. It was in her nature too, just like Clark, to protect and help those around her. Never in a million years would she ever admit that she saw a lot of good in the farm boy, but she couldn't deny it. He was the best man she had ever met and for some reason she just wouldn't let someone like that leave her life. She also knew her revelation about Clark was all somehow tied in with her sister and the way she flirted with him. For some strange reason she felt incredibly jealous, as if Lucy was hitting on her man. Even with the heat of the room, she shivered at the mere thought of Clark being hers. There was no way that would ever happen, it was Clark.

After about thirty channels of static, she finally got a clear one. She watched it intently; trying not to focus on her knew feelings for Clark. As if her mind needed another anvil dropped on it, she saw a newswoman lead her into a story about a car accident that had taken place the night before in downtown Phoenix. Phoenix! Her mind registered suddenly. They were in Phoenix? Blinking, she continued to watch the news as the TV showed an intersection police camera capturing the accident on tape. Her eyes widened as she saw a vehicle about to hit a man standing in the middle of the street. Instead of the vehicle crushing the him, she watched it stop abruptly and raise in the air, the driver getting ejected. She stared in mute surprise as she watched the man standing there with the car in his hands unharmed. Something in the back of her mind screamed Clark, but she ignored it. A second later, the picture zoomed in, and his face was shown. Lois gasped as she saw Clarks face. The picture was grainy, but she could clearly see his features.

Staring at the TV still, she heard the news anchor say that the Phoenix police were looking for him, but still had no leads as to his whereabouts. There something about the video that gave her concern. It was Clark, yet it wasn't, there was something etched in his face that was worrisome, not to mention the clothes he was wearing. Her gaze slowly worked its way towards the bathroom again as she spied his clothes lying outside the door. A sudden feeling of worry washed over as she scooted off the bed and made her way up to the small bathroom door. Knocking on it lightly, she called out his name. "Clark?" She asked a few times, not getting a single response. Fearing for his well being, she put her hand on the knob and turned. Luckily it was unlocked, and she cautiously opened the door. Instead of being greeted with steam, she felt a sudden coldness.

More than a little concerned, she walked up and whipped aside the curtain. She almost screamed when she saw Clark naked, lying in the tub unconscious. His body was paler than snow, his hair matted on top of his head. She went to shake him, but brought her hand back suddenly as she felt the icy cold water hit it. Scared to death, she turned of the water and kneeled right down beside him. Afraid that he was dead, she put an ear to his chest. A few nervous moments went by before she relaxed as she heard his heart beat.

Shaking him with both hands to his shoulders, she tried to get him to wake up, but it wasn't working. Her eyes slowly worked their way down to his chest, and even further south. Something red glinted with moisture as she looked down to his shame. She had seen Clark Jr. before, but this time she wasn't concerned about looking at his privates. Reaching into the tub, she picked up a red ring, the same red ring he had put on back at the farm. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed one of his hands and put the ring in his palm and clenched his fist around it. Somehow the ring made Clark seem more alive earlier, she could only hope it would do the same thing now.

Clark roared out in pain as his mind came slamming back into his body with such tremendous force he thought he had been shot. Again he screamed; the pain too intolerable. "Get it away!" He screamed suddenly.

Lois was almost knocked back by his sudden outburst, her ears ringing from the volume of his voice. She collected herself as quickly as she could as he screamed over and over again. She suddenly registered what he was screaming, and she reached back down and wrenched the ring from his grasp, throwing it out the bathroom door. She watched as he visibly relaxed, his hands shaking violently as she tried to steady them with her own. His voice became shallower and softer, still saying "Get it away." She could feel her tears almost coming out as she reached her hands under his armpits and struggled desperately to get him out of the tub. After a few seconds of futile attempts, she finally got him over the edge, his body collapsing on top of her lap.

Clark groaned in absolute agony as he struggled to open his eyes. Every single movement caused dramatic pain, but he managed to force them open. When he looked up, he was staring into two beautiful brown eyes that seemed to wash away all the pain that was coursing through his body. "Lois?" He wheezed.

"I'm here Clark." She said, cradling his head in her lap as she softly stroked his hair.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

She held him for what seemed like hours, but in fact was only mere minutes. Continuing to stroke his wet black hair, she fought back her own tears. Seeing him so weak frightened her. He was always so strong, but at that moment she could see that no matter what abilities he possessed, he was still human. The water dripping off of him soaked her pants, but she could care less. She was there for him, and that was all that mattered at that moment.

"Lois." Clark said again, his voice shaky and low.

"Shh." Lois whispered softly. "I'm here Clark, that's all that matters." Her hand rested on his chest as she reassured him she wasn't going anywhere.

"Lois." He said with more conviction, sitting up out of her lap as he felt his emotions waning and his strength returning.

Lois felt a stab of regret as she felt him remove himself from her hold. Her eyes settled on him as he scurried up against the tub and placed a towel over himself. "Are we suddenly getting bashful?" She joked, not too sure if it was appropriate to be teasing him.

Clark just leaned back against the tub, his head still pounding from the pain of the ring. So many things had led to his almost near destruction, and the ring had played the largest role. He was going to have to learn to control it better, because he knew he was going to need it again. Sighing heavily, he looked back at Lois, who surprisingly wasn't wearing a shirt. Even in his weakened state, he managed to blush furiously at the site of her black silky bra.

Lois watched as his cheeks reddened. Her eyes followed his as she looked at her own bra. Her eyes rolled up as she almost laughed. "No time to get uncomfortable Smallville. I just dragged your naked body out of that tub." Her smirk felicitated a small smile from one partially naked farm boy.

Clark's lips curled up softly, but they quickly fell back into a sorrowful frown as he began to realize the magnitude of their entire situation. "I'm so sorry Lois." He said quietly. There was nothing more he could really say, and the words seemed only right for their situation.

Lois looked at him and kept her smile. It was no moment to be regretting her decision, especially in the state Clark was in. "It was my choice to come with you Clark, none of this is your fault." She watched as his face didn't change. She knew full well he thought it was his fault, and she also knew that nothing she said was going to make him think otherwise. Scuttling on her butt towards the door, she reached out and grabbed his boxers and pants. Turning back to him, she tossed them in his direction.

Clark caught both pieces of clothing in mid air. Struggling while sitting down, he managed to get both of them on. Drying his hair, he managed to peak out behind the towel to notice Lois was still sitting there shirtless, staring at him with her piercing brown eyes. "I can take you back." He said suddenly, not sure what else he could say.

Lois shook her head. "No Smallville, I made the choice to come along with you. I will not leave you alone to fight this by yourself." She brought her legs up under herself crosswise and looked at him intently.

Clark sighed as he draped an arm on the side of the tub. "You don't even know what I'm fighting." He said, his eyes falling to the floor.

"Yourself." Lois said flatly. No matter how much Clark thought he was different than anyone else, he was still human like she was. He had his own inner demons that he battled, just like the ones she was fighting at the moment. "I know that you feel alone Clark, and I know that you're feeling scared, but you don't have to be alone." She watched as his eyes widened a bit. "I'm scared too Clark, but not of you, you have to realize that."

He stared at her serious expression. There was so much he needed to tell her about himself, yet she didn't seem to be prying. "I will always be alone Lois, it's something I know. For so long I've been fighting it, but now I realize that it is my destiny."

She frowned at the mention of destiny. What in the world was he talking about? "Clark, being alone doesn't mean being alone forever." She watched his eyes as they began to sink to the floor once again. Her mind was struggling with what else to say as the enormity of what they had done was finally setting in. "You're never going back are you?" She asked with great remorse

"I don't see how I could." He said gravely. "So many things have happened; so many people have been put in danger, all because I was reckless and stupid." He sighed in frustration as he tried to stand up, but ultimately failed. "I can never forgive myself for what I did."

Lois was really struggling with what he was talking about. She stood up and walked over to him, still completely oblivious to the fact that they were both shirtless. Helping him to his feet, she grunted as he used her as a crutch to stand. "If this is about your secret Clark." She began, feeling his muscular fame pulsating against her body, something she didn't think would ever cause her to falter. His body was almost mesmerizing, even hypnotically so. Shaking her head, she led him out the bathroom and into the scorching room. She guided him onto the bed, his body still clinging to her own. Normally she would have shrugged it off, but for some reason being close to him felt good; like having a favorite pillow that she couldn't sleep without. "I don't think you're a Meteor freak." She finished, sitting beside him.

Clark let out a large deep exhale of breath as he fell back into the bed. He felt the blankets wrinkled up uncomfortably underneath his back, but he ignored them. He looked up to see Lois sitting beside him, her penetrating eyes looking down at his solemn face. "I'm not a meteor freak." He said simply.

She wasn't about to disagree with him, but that explanation was the only one that made sense. Her inquisitive nature got the best of her as she continued to stare into his blue-green eyes. "Then how do you explain everything?" She hated asking, because she knew this was the sore spot that he always tried to keep hidden about himself. Slowly, she laid back, turning her body towards him as he stayed on his back. "It's okay Clark, you can trust me."

Clark looked over at her, his mind racing for meaning. There was no reason she was being nice to him. In fact, she had every reason to hate him, especially since he had dragged her halfway across the United States with him. He was about to shrug off her question, but something deep within her eyes told him there was no one else in the world who could be more trustworthy. He moved himself onto his side so that he could look right at her, face to face. The intimate position they were both in wasn't uncomfortable, it felt strangely right, as if being close relaxed them both.

"So?" She asked, silently hoping that he would open up to her. Their close quarters were suddenly feeling cramped, but she bit her lip and held strong. Anything she could do to help him she remembered. She would do anything she had to help him heal.

He stared at her intently. She seemed nervous, but he put that to rest by flashing a quite smile that was soon reciprocated. "I'm not a meteor freak per say." He said, once again.

"You've mention that once, but I don't understand how you can possess such abilities and not have been affected by them." Her grin had disappeared along with his as things became more serious.

"I wasn't affected by the meteor rocks, but I am tied to them." He took a deep breath, mentally reassuring himself that he was doing the right thing. His final conviction was the fact that she refused to leave him alone. She needed to know everything before he gave her one last chance to make up her mind on whether or not she was really going to leave. "Do you remember how Chloe said that all the strange things that happen in Smallville didn't start until after the meteor shower?"

Lois nodded her head. She would have said something in return, but she could read the apprehension in his eyes and knew that if she interrupted him, he might become discouraged. "I'm listening." She said finally, ending the quiet silence that had engrossed them.

"The meteors weren't the only thing that came down to earth that day." The words were having difficulty escaping his mouth, but he willed himself forward, determined to make sure she understood.

She saw him pause, so she continued for him. "Chloe has told me that she thinks something else came with them." Her words seemed to make him relax a little more.

Clark nodded to her, smiling inwardly that she was right on the ball as usual. Lois was a smart woman, and much like Chloe, she didn't take strange occurrences lightly. "Chloe has always had her suspicions, but little did she know she was right. Something else came down that day. Something that neither one of you, or anyone else in the world would believe." The anxiousness in her face was clearly evident as he continued. "A spaceship landed that day."

Lois listened with a held breath. Realizing she hadn't breathed in almost a minute, she sucked in a lungful of air. What he had just said made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. He was trying to tell her something without being overly blunt. It took her a couple of seconds, but she finally grasped it. Her eyes went wide suddenly. "You came." She said in moot surprise.

He gave her a worried smile and nodded. He had just told someone his secret, and he knew that the next few moments were most important. The feeling of being rejected, by anyone, to be shunned for being from another galaxy, was the worst pain of all. Being scrutinized and being called meteor freak was one thing, but being feared for being himself, was something more painful than he wished to believe. "That was the day my parents adopted me." He said weakly, still staring intently at her wide eyes.

She tried to process what she had just come to the conclusion of. It made perfect sense in some way. She noticed that he was still staring at her with penetrating eyes. "So, you're not actually human?" She asked, her mouth unable to spit anything else out. She instantly regretted her words as she saw a look of fear cross his face.

"Yes." He said with a shaky voice, thinking that he had scared her too much.

Collecting herself, she put to rest his worries. "You may not be from this world Clark, but that doesn't mean you aren't human. What defines a human is his actions, not his origins."

Clark's throat suddenly loosened as he blinked, tears almost dropping as he continued to lie sideways, staring at her. "Thank you." He said quietly, closing his eyes in relief.

Lois smiled. She knew his greatest fear was not being accepted. Her fear of not being able to accept him had quickly vanished too. She had spoken the truth, Clark was indeed human, even if from another world. "Where are you from?" She asked hesitantly, not sure how much he was going to tell her.

"Krypton." He said with a long and winded breath.

"Krypton." She mouthed back to him, practicing the word as it rolled off her tongue easily. "I like the name." She said. It brought a small smile to Clark's lips. A smile she couldn't help but return. "How much do you know about your home world?" She asked.

His smile disappeared as he reached for the little information he knew about his home world. "It was a planet of Ice, a beacon of light and intelligence in the universe." He paused to look at her again. He could see the anticipation that shrouded her eyes, so he continued on. "It was destroyed."

Lois's heart went out to him. She placed a hand lightly on his forearm. "I'm sorry." She said softly, her words coming out as sincerely as possible."

He almost flinched at her touch, but her sweet and softly spoken words were so sincere. Without a conscious thought, he grabbed her hand in his, wrapping his large fingers around her smaller ones. Any other time he wouldn't have done so, but for some reason his action seemed more than appropriate. "Thank you." He replied.

She didn't even think about removing her hand from his as she asked him another question. "If it was destroyed, then I'm to assume that you were sent to earth to be saved?"

Clark smiled at her; she was really a smart woman he realized. "Yes, my parents sent me on a ship to earth, in hope that I would be the last remaining survivor of our race."

"Are you?" She asked, not sure how sore the subject was to him.

"As far as I know, yes." He could feel the warmth of the room, but her hand gave him the strength he needed to keep him strong and away from tears. "There are many things possible in this universe, I am an attest to that, but I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere out there in the vastness known as space, there lingered some of my people." He wasn't certain he believed his own words, but he forced himself to.

Lois squeezed tightly to his hand, unwilling to let go. It felt so comfortable. "Do you remember anything about your time on Krypton?" She asked. He was young when he came to earth, that she knew, but his race seamed an intelligent one and she wouldn't be surprised if he had memories from such an early age.

Clark shook his head and gave her a helpless smile. "I don't remember anything. I wish I could. I wish I could remember my real parents, my real mother."

She watched as he let out some of his deep feelings towards her. She could tell he had been holding them in for far too long. They were of course feelings that he would never tell his parents, for obvious reasons, but he just seemed overly relieved to tell someone. "Your ship, where is it?" She asked, not overly happy that she was had to continue asking questions to get answers.

"Destroyed." He said. "A few years ago I slipped a kryptonite key into the keyhole and destroyed it."

"Kryptonite?" She asked, confused.

Clark closed his eyes for a second and opened them, only to find her own, unblinking in confusion. "The meteor rocks, they're called kryptonite, a part of my home world."

She was still confused, so she asked yet another question. "What does this krypton-nite do?" She rolled the word oddly off her tongue.

"It makes me sick. It makes anything and anybody from my home world ill. That's how it destroyed the ship, it poisoned it." He paused for a moment; not sure if he should tell her more about the ship, but he soon realized that the liberating feeling he was getting from speaking about it all was too good to stop. "The spaceship was destroyed, but so were other things." His voice trailed off at the thought of what had happened.

Lois could see the pain in his eyes, but for some reason she couldn't hold herself back. "What other things?" She asked, gripping his hand even tighter for comfort.

"My mom's baby." He said with tears in his eyes. The original pain was nothing like the lingering pain that still haunted him today, and everyday for the rest of his life. There was no way he would ever be able to forgive himself.

"How?" She asked with a somber voice. The tears in his eyes made her only want to wrap him in her arms, but she held herself in check. She felt suddenly aware that her question might have been too painful to answer, and she began to apologize.

Clark stopped her apology. "It's okay Lois, I can talk about it. It's painful yes, but it's not something I can hide from." He took a deep breath to steady himself. "When the shockwave from the explosion of the ship spread outwards from the farm, it caused my parents truck to flip over." He stopped as he choked on his words.

Lois could tell he was having trouble finding his words, so she just nodded. "No need to say anymore." She said. "I get picture." Her stomach tightened as she saw a single tear fall down his face. With her other hand, she gently wiped it away. "Is that why you ran off the first time?"

Clark's eyes fluttered open in surprise. "You know about that?"

She nodded. "Chloe and I have spoken about it a few times, even though she didn't directly say anything about you. I kind of just put the pieces together." His surprise turned to a smile right in front of her. She just grinned back at him. "I'm a Lane; we don't tend to be inept at puzzles."

Clark let out a relaxing laugh at her statement. "I've figured that out recently." He said with mirth dancing in his voice. "I was so afraid and scared of my parent's reaction that I couldn't help myself from disappearing." He didn't now why he was voluntarily giving her answers, but it felt good, so he continued. "Those were the worst three months of my life. I had let the ring completely consume me, taking me into the bowels of Metropolis. The things I did were beyond deplorable. The crimes I committed will live with me forever."

Lois watched as he recounted bad memories. "So this ring, what's so special about it?"

"The ring has a jewel made of red kryptonite in it. Unlike green kryptonite, which makes me sick, the red releases me from all my worries and burdens. It essentially releases my inner kryptonian self, a confident and powerful person that lets nothing stand in his way."

"You speak as if you hate him, but you're willing to change over into him without a second thought?" She was concerned that he wasn't being truly honest with her.

"It's the only way I can fully forget my troubles. It is the only way I can forget how much I hurt people. There is a power in it that makes me feel invincible." He shuddered at his own words, realizing how much he actually did crave the feeling of that power, no matter how much he tried to deny it. "In truth, I love the feeling, but hate it too. I know it's hard to understand."

"I think I understand Clark." She replied sweetly, tucking her free hand under her cheek. Her other hand still held onto his for dear life. "You do the only thing you can think of to escape your feeling of emptiness and loneliness. I think everyone wishes they had a way to do that."

Clark sighed as he listened to her calm and reassuring words. "The problem is that when I have that ring on, I can't control myself. I know deep within that what I'm doing is wrong, but I can't help it." He hated being that helpless.

"Then what happened in the shower?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "One moment I was feeling great, then the next moment I felt as if the ring was crushing me. I did the only thing I could think of, I removed it. That's when everything went black, and the next thing I know you're waking me with that pain."

"I'm sorry." She said.

He smiled at her all of a sudden. "Now who's the one who can't stop apologizing?" He asked with a chuckle.

Lois just smiled at him as she took her entwined fingers in his and brought their hands up in front of their faces, rocking them back and forth slowly. "I'm just finding this a little overwhelming. I can understand a lot about what you're saying, but I'm still having trouble registering it."

Clark stared at their still clutching hands. He suddenly felt very aware of their situation and the lack of clothes. He swallowed the lump in his throat before he looked from her breasts to her eyes again. "I know it's a lot to process, but to tell you the truth, it feels good to tell someone."

Lois understood fully what he was saying. "It sucks to have to hold something in when you know it would make you feel better if it were just out in the open. I know exactly how you feel." She bit her lip again as she dared herself to speak the words she had fighting with only minutes ago. He had opened up to her, and now it was her turn to do the same.

"What do you mean you know how I feel?" He asked, his brow furrowing into a frown suddenly.

She took a deep breath, deathly afraid of what his reaction to her words would be. Almost biting her tongue, she steeled herself and looked back at him. Her insides melted as she continued to stare deep into his eyes. Suddenly all her concerns washed away as she began to tell him the truth. "I-I don't know how to really put this, because really I haven't felt this way before, but I just want you to listen. Got it, don't say anything until I'm done."

He nodded at her, anxiously awaiting her words.

"I know I annoy you, drive you crazy, and most of all steal your bed." She tried to lighten the mood by throwing in a lame joke, but his upturned lips didn't help ease the butterflies in her stomach. "There is something about you that I could never put my finger on. You were always helpful, even overprotective of me, and if made me feel weak." She noticed he was about to sorry, but she cut him off. "For the longest time I resented you for it. I don't know why, maybe it was the way I was raised or the fact that I'm independent, but I just want to say I'm sorry." She searched his eyes for any acceptance of her words.

"And?" He asked

She gulped. He could always read when there was more to the conversation. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself for what was about to come out of her mouth. "I know you have every reason to hate me, but sometimes I feel as if you are the only one who really understands me. You make me feel that if I'm in trouble that you're always going to be there, no matter how you feel about me."

He could feel her hand shaking in his, so he squeezed it tightly to calm her. In truth, he was shaking too; he had a strange feeling where she was going with her words.

Lois took another deep breath and continued. "When Lucy came to visit, and when I saw her flirting with you, I felt…"

"Jealous?" He asked, finishing her sentence with a rattling voice. He watched her nod, her eyes glancing to the bed in embarrassment. He smoothed his own demeanor and mustered up the courage to ask her a question. "How long have you felt this way about me?" He struggled with every syllable.

Her eyes shot up in surprise at his forward question. He hadn't directly asked what kind of feelings, but she knew what he meant. "I don't know. I think I've been hiding them from myself for a while."

"Why?"

She shook a little more, her face twitching in surprise at his directness. "I was afraid to let myself get hurt. You have no idea how much courage it takes to admit something like this. I'm a Lane, Lanes don't show weakness." Her eyes shifted away from him, trying to make things less uncomfortable. She could still feel his penetrating gaze on her though. It just made all that much more painful as she waited for his response. She had put herself out there, just like he had earlier, but in her case, this was more nerve racking than telling someone you were an alien ever could be.

Clark struggled with her sudden expression of feelings for him. He would be lying if he didn't say he felt them too. Things had changed between them that day Lucy came to the farm. He had noticed her jealousy from a mile away, even if he had tried ignoring it too. "Lois, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel the same way."

Her eyes went up to his suddenly, her heart skipping a beat as she looked deep within him. "But?" She asked, a sudden feeling of dread eating away at her stomach.

"But." Clark began. "I have dragged you into all of this. I don't think I could let myself hurt you like I've hurt others in the past. I can't let you in and then do something that I know I will regret." His words were gnawing away at his heart.

Lois reached out and stroked his cheek lovingly. "I know that you are afraid Clark, and I know you feel as if you dragged me into this, but you really must realize that I decided to come. Of my own free will I might add."

"I know Lois. But-."

She pushed a finger to his lips as she stared deep into his pupils. "I don't want you to feel as if I did this all for you. I did this for myself too." She placed another finger on his lips softly. "There are no buts about this Clark; I will not let you make my decisions for me. This is something I want, not because I feel suddenly drawn to you because of your admission that you're and alien, but because I've been struggling with these feelings for too long." She took a deep breath again, not sure what else to say. "I want this Clark, but the question is, do you?"

They were mere inches apart, their noses almost touching as they looked at each other for what seemed like hours. He could see the longing in her eyes, a longing that he knew he shared. "But Lois-"

"Shh." She whispered, pushing on his lips even harder with her fingers. "I said no buts. Just tell me, do you want this too?" Her mind was pleading him to say yes, but something told her that he might say no. Their whole situation was conflicting with him, and she could see it.

Clark just stared some more. Her words weighed heavily on him. This was his moment, his moment to keep away the loneliness he had always been feeling. He hungered for a companion, yet he wasn't happy about the circumstances under which his decision had to be made. Inside his head he battled for an answer. Guilt had always pushed people away, and once again he was going to allow it to, but something made him pause. Whether it was her kind words, or just simply the look in her eyes, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I do Lois, I want this too." He opened his yes to see her expression, but was blinded by a wet and slobbery pair of lips that met his own.

Lois's heart sang wildly as she leaned in and kissed him, realizing that her hand had never once left a hold of his.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch.5

His breathing was ragged, his pulse low and quiet, but he was alive. Martha continued to hold onto her husbands hand as he lied in the hospital bed unconscious. There was nothing she could do. The doctors said that with a second heart attack, the only thing that they could hope for was time. Tears continued to flow from her reddening eyes, the garbage full of tissues. She had lost Clark and Lois, her son and daughter, and now she might lose her husband. There was no way she was to let him leave her, if he did, her life was over.

Chloe and Lucy walked out of the elevator, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. It was one in the morning and both had been sleeping when they had gotten the call. Lucy had been staying with Chloe, not wanting to be anywhere near the mansion. Lex's questions had been so unsettling, and now that she knew the truth about Clark, she felt that her cousin Chloe was the only person she could trust. In truth, she was scared by everything that had happened, but the fact that Clark's parents trusted her and Chloe enough to reveal his secret made her feel instantly like family. She suddenly realized what Lois meant by finding a real home. Her eyes drooped as she thought about her sister. All she could do was pray that she was okay.

Chloe slowly walked up to the hospital room door, her eyes already watering from the scene she knew she was about to see. Mr. Kent's first heart attack had been scary, but a second was always a death sentence. She could only hope that a good man like him had the strength to pull through. If anyone could, it was Mr. Kent; he was the strongest man she knew. With a light tap on the door, she listened to a meek voice usher them in. Swallowing the lump in her throat, the two of them walked in.

Martha watched as the two young women entered the room, their eyes instantly tearing up at the sight of her husband lying in the bed weak and defenseless. "Thank you for coming." She said weakly. Her heart was so far down in the pit of her stomach she felt as if she was going to die on the spot.

"How is he?" Chloe asked, her voice shaky.

Martha fought for control of her words, the saliva in her mouth instantly disappearing. "They say his heart is almost at the end of its rope." She took a deep breath to steady herself. "They say if he makes it until morning, his chances should go up, but they're not fully certain." Her eyes began to water again as she let the words sink in.

Chloe placed a hand on Martha's shoulder for comfort. She felt the older woman reach up and grasp her hand. "Mrs. Kent, he'll make it, we all know that."

"Thank you Chloe, for coming. You too Lucy, thank you." She stared over to Lois's sister, her eyes still watering.

Lucy could feel the absolute anguish that surrounded the room. It reminded her of her mother's death, even if she was too young to really understand it. "I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be." She said softly, pulling a chair closer up to the bed. "With everything that has gone on today, I feel as if I have gained so much, but have lost a lot as well. From the little I have found out your family, I know Mr. Kent will make it."

Martha smiled softly at the young woman. "I know he will." She replied. "He would never leave me when he knows that Clark was not here."

"I wish Clark was here." Chloe said, using a tissue to wipe her eyes. She let go of Martha's hand, walked to the other side of the bed and sat in the other chair beside Lucy.

"I wish he was here too sweetie. I wish he was here too." Martha's let another fit of sobs overcome her as she felt as if everything in the world she loved was leaving her.

-

He smiled through their locked lips. No matter what had happened that day and the day before, all he could feel was pure unadulterated joy. Just the simplest touch of her lips to his made all his worries flush away, feeling as if they would never return.

Lois closed her eyes as they continued their tongue war inside each other's mouth. Everything had happened so fast, yet it all seemed so right. Her body got closer to him as she felt his one free hand grab at the small of her back. She moaned at his touch, her nose breathing out sharply against his face at his warm touch. Slowly she pushed him onto his back, straddling him with her legs to each side of him. She felt suddenly aware of how dangerously close they were to letting themselves get too caught up in their emotions. Disengaging her lips from his, she watched a pout come across his beautiful face. "We can't let this get away from us." She said. She could tell he wanted her, all of her. She did too, but she also knew that they weren't ready for that.

The pain in her face was evident, but he relaxed her by leaning upward and kissing her sweetly. Pulling back, he watched her closed eyes lustfully open to stare into his. "I understand Lois, we really shouldn't rush this, no matter how much we want it." He smiled at her a second later.

Lois melted in his smile, her heart opening up in a flood of emotion and longing. "I think we can take it slow for now." Her mouth got the words out, but her head was screaming the exact opposite.

"I don't want to ruin this moment by possibly hurting you." He admitted. He chuckled lightly. He had just admitted the truth; something that he never thought could feel so good.

She slapped his chest playfully. "Are you mocking me?" She asked with a big smirk planted heavily on her face. "I don't take kindly to people laughing at me." She was still smiling.

"No." He said, sitting up and letting her whimper as she slid of his lap. "I was laughing at myself because for the first time I don't feel restricted by the truth." He stood up and wrapped his arms around her in a grand hug. "For the first time in my life I don't feel the need to lie to someone."

She leaned her head up to look at his grinning face. "I'm glad you feel that way because I don't think I could put up with you lying to me."

He leaned his face down and nuzzled her right cheek with his two day old beard. He listened to her giggle like a little girl at the touch of his prickly whiskers. Planting a soft kiss to her cheek, he whispered. "I would never do anything to bring you pain Lois, you mean too much to me to ever let that happen."

With the slightest hint of affection, she turned her mouth and kissed his cheek too. "Good, because if you did, I would never let you touch this body again." She pulled out of his grasp suddenly, leaving a mutely shocked expression slapped across his face. "Don't act so surprised." She scoffed at him.

Clark just growled at her playfully, closing the distance between them and kissing her quickly. "Don't think I can't catch you though." He said after finally breaking their lips.

"Cheater." She said hoarsely, her lips making contact with his again. She pulled back, her eyes looking at him intensely. "Now, about the ring?"

"What about it?" He asked, his mood darkening suddenly.

"Can we get rid of it? Now that you have me to keep you happy, do you think you still need it?" Her eyes were searching his frown for an answer that didn't seem to be coming forward.

"I don't know." He groaned, rubbing his hand down his face in frustration. There was something that told him he wouldn't need it again, but he also knew that it was his only escape from the pain of leaving Smallville. "I want to Lois, but something tells me I might need it again."

She took a hesitant step back, hurt at his words. "Why Smallville? Do I not make you happy? I see the look on your face after I kiss you, you can't possibly need that thing." Her words were almost pleading, if not desperate.

"It's my only escape from the pain of leaving." He said meekly, his words coming out in a haggard whisper.

Lois walked up to him and placed a hand tenderly on his left cheek. "That pain will linger Clark, for me too, but you must realize that together we will get over it. You don't need a ring to keep from your feelings. You have me, and together we'll battle them." She stared up into his sorrow filled eyes, her own tearing up at the thought of him resisting her.

Clark stood there looking deep into her, his mind fighting with his impending decision. "Okay." He said finally.

"Okay what?" She said with a hint of glimmering mirth in her eyes.

"I'll get rid of it for you." His words were the truth, but somewhere in the back of his mind he doubted his hasty decision.

"That's what I like to hear." She smiled at him. "Now, let me take a shower and then you can tell me all about what we're going to do." She grinned at him and walked towards the bathroom, leaving his shocked face hanging in thin air.

"I really haven't thought about it." He admitted in defeat.

"Then think about it now." She replied. "I'm taking a shower, and when I get back out here, I want a plan. Got it?" She said menacingly, her smirk never leaving her face.

"Yes dear." He replied sarcastically.

"Good." She said, getting in the last word as she disappeared into the bathroom.

Clark pondered about his options. He hadn't really thought about it very much. In fact, leaving was the only thing that had been on his mind. Sitting down on the bed, he listened to the shower start up. He heard Lois yelp at the cold water. He knew there wasn't any warm water left, but he still smiled at listening to her squirm. He looked over to Lois who was trying to get his attention with her head poking out the door a second later. "Yes?" he asked with a grin.

"Don't play stupid with me." She shot back quickly. "Do you think you could warm up the water a bit?" She asked with a glare.

"That depends if you want me to see you naked." He retorted.

She glared at him for a second as she gave up and closed the door. Slipping on her jeans again, she opened the door and walked out into the room in a huff. "So, decided on where we're going?" She asked him, still without a shirt on.

"It's only been a minute." He argued with her, getting up off the bed and finding his shirt on the floor. He frowned as he picked up the now wrinkled shirt. "I really should have kept my other clothes." He said in defeat. Slowly he put on the shirt and did up the buttons.

"At least you have dry clothes. My tank tee is soaked in sweat." Lois said from across the room, flicking through channels on the television.

Clark walked around her as she sat on the bed and started rooting through the bag that was on the desk by the door. Fishing out a light blue tank tee, exactly like the ones Lois wore, he tossed it to her. "Here, I picked this up earlier." He said.

Lois felt something hit her in the head and drape over her eyes. She turned to scowl at him, but when she realized what he had thrown at her, she smiled. "Thank you Smallville." She slipped the top on and stood up, making her way towards him and the bag. "What else you got in there?" She asked, taking the bag from him and rummaging through it.

"Hair brush, toothbrushes and toothpaste, that sort of stuff." He replied.

"You're a saint." She said softly, fishing out the hair brush and instantly working on her mess of tangled follicles. "What kind of toothpaste did you get?" She asked. She was particularly picking about such menial things.

"Your favorite." He said with a grin, reaching into the bag and pulling out the box with the tube inside.

"Clark." She gasped, grabbing the toothpaste and kissing the box of Aim. "Where did you find this? I was told they stopped making it." She looked up at him in wonder, her eyes wide.

"I found it at a dollar store." He replied, still smiling.

Lois raised an eyebrow in fascination. "Are you telling me that you went into a dollar store with the ring on, dressed like that?" She was more than a little surprised.

Clark chuckled softly. "Yeah, although I still can't believe I did that." There was no real explanation for it. Kal never did things like that. The look of wonder was still on her face as he paid attention to her once again. "I think Kal had some feelings for you too Lois, that's why he went out of his way to find it." It was probably the truth, but he wasn't quite sure.

"No." Lois said, opening the box and pulling out the white tube. "It was Clark who was inside of Kal." She smiled up at him. His returning grin made her fluster slightly. "No matter how much you thought you were Kal with that ring on, there was still some of the real you in there."

Clark slowly wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you." He whispered to her as he held his mouth close to her ear.

"Anytime." She said back, her eyes closing as she felt his body heat envelop her. She quickly turned from caring to bothersome as she pushed him away with a free hand. "Let me finish with my hair. Since I can't have a shower, I'm going to look a presentable as I can for the time being." She smiled up at him and continued to brush her hair. "So, decided where we're going?" She asked again, but this time she wasn't teasing him.

"California." He said passively.

She continued to brush her hair as his vision clouded over. "Sounds like good plan to me Smallville." She said with a cheery tone. "We need to get out of this sweatbox of a state and to a pace with some coastal winds." In truth, she wanted to go home to Smallville, but she knew Clark didn't. She would wait a while before asking him about going home.

Clark laughed with her, his mirth overcoming his worry. "Well, I can probably have us there in about five minutes."

Lois shook her head vehemently. "Not today." She said softly. "I don't think I've ever had such a bad headache as I did yesterday when you were running."

Clark sighed. "I guess we can take a bus."

"Good." She said in response. Her mind stopped for a second. "I don't have my purse with me." She resigned to the fact that she would have to let Clark run with her. She really didn't want to do that again. It hurt her head more than she was actually letting on.

"I have some money." Clark said softly, reaching into his right pant pocket and pulled out thick stack of bills.

Lois raised her eyes up to him in surprise. "Did you rob a bank?" She asked. The bills were neatly aligned and rather crisp.

"Kal did." He said, defeated. "I can take it back though."

Lois could see the pain in his features, but she full well he couldn't go back to the city of Phoenix. "Don't worry about it. I'll forgive you this time only because the cops are looking for the man who stopped an SUV with his bare hands."

His head shot up instantly. "How do you know about that?" He asked, bewildered.

"It was on the news when I turned on the television this morning."

Groaning, Clark stuffed the money back into his pocket. "I guess I have no choice but to keep the money. It's not a lot, but it should get us to where we want to go." He grabbed his own toothbrush from the bag and snatched the toothpaste from her. Using his abilities, he was in the bathroom before she even had time to blink.

Lois had stood there listening to him, and then all of a sudden he was gone. She looked around for him, but could only see the flowery curtains whipping back and forth. Her eyes went instantly to the bathroom as she heard the sink water running. Grumbling, she fished out her own toothbrush and made her way to the bathroom. She was greeted by a smiling Clark Kent, his toothbrush hanging out his mouth with a slopping grin. She just glared at him and slipped some toothpaste on her brush.

Clark finished and spit into the sink. Grabbing the glass, he filled it up with water and rinsed his mouth. "Not bad." He said, wiping his lips clean a second later.

"What's that?" Lois asked, spitting into the sink.

"Your toothpaste, it's not bad." He was smiling at her again.

"Why do you think I use it?" She rolled her eyes sarcastically.

He just grinned even wider, shrugging his shoulders in the process. Rinsing the brush out, he walked back out of the bathroom, but not before trailing his fingers along her back ever so lightly.

Lois felt her body tingle at the mere touch of his fingers. She shivered as she turned to look at him, but he was already out of the bathroom. "Bastard." She muttered under her breath.

"I heard that." He said; standing by the door and putting his toothbrush back in the bag.

She almost choked on the water in her mouth as she desperately tried to keep herself from yelling in surprise. Spitting the water out a second later, she calmed herself and walked out of the bathroom. "I'm going to have to keep an eye on you." She said with a grin.

"And why is that?" He asked, returning her small smile.

"Why?" She asked with a glare, "Because you hear and see everything. Someday I'm going to catch you using that x-ray vision to undress other women." She was playing with him, but he didn't seem to realize that.

"Lois, I would never do such a thing."

"Yeah right." She said, winking at him.

He laughed out suddenly as he realized she was just busting his chops. "I miss our bickering." He said quietly. "After all that has happened, it's good to know that some things never change."

Lois turned and faced him, reached back and stroked her hair. It was longer than she usually had it, and it wasn't as full because of the lack of a shower. "Don't worry Smallville, you're just too easy to pick on."

He scooped her into his arms unexpectedly and kissed her full on. "I know, but now I know your weakness." He breathed into her.

She tried to escape his grasp, but she felt herself getting lost in his mouth. Seconds passed by as she began to run her hands up under his shirt, feeling his hard abs tighten at her touch. "Mmm…" She moaned in pleasure, her hands going higher up his chest.

Clark could feel himself getting lost in her touch, but he was finally able to rip his attention back to where he knew it had to be. He pulled away and held her hands with his. She still had her eyes closed and her hands moved in his as if she was still groping him. "Lois, we best get going." He said, his body aching for her.

Her eyes snapped open, her look of longing quickly replaced by redness as she realized what she had been doing. "Sorry." She said, looking to the floor in embarrassment.

He lifted her chin and gave her a quick peck. "Don't be sorry." He said softly. When she smiled at him, his stomach flipped. "Now, do we have everything we need?" He asked, looking around the room for anything they might have had lying around.

Lois looked around with him, her eyes scanning the room. She paused and walked over to the ring that was lying just below the bed. She picked it up and brought it back over to him. "What do we do with this?" She asked, holding it up in front of his face.

Clark swallowed hard. "Put it in the bag." He opened the bag to let her drop it in. He frowned at her when he realized she hadn't dropped it in yet. "What?" He asked.

"I thought you said you were going to get rid of it?" She said with a scowl.

"I did, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have any value. If it can get us some cash then I'm going to keep it." He didn't really trust his own words. Somewhere deep inside something told him he was keeping it for another reason. "Don't worry, I promised I won't use it again, and I intend on keeping that promise."

"Okay." She said, eyeing him cautiously. She had the feeling he might have been hiding something, but she trusted him in the end and dropped the ring in the bag. "Now, let's get out of this heat and into an air conditioned bus." She opened the door and led them out of the hotel room.

Clark squinted at the morning sun, but looked at the surrounding landscape. It wasn't a bad place he realized, just too hot for his taste. He felt Lois's hand slide comfortably into his as they made their way toward the motel office. He moved around uncomfortably in his black clothes. It was much to hot to be wearing black.

Lois took the largest amount of joy from just simply holding his hand. She was a little disheartened when he let go and opened the office door for her, but she quickly brightened her mood. "Thank you." She said with a slightly mocking tone as she walked up to the counter and dropped the keys on it.

Clark dinged the bell on the counter, but no one came. He hit it again to make sure there was someone around before he just put some money under the key. He fished out the money in his pocket and peeled a couple twenties from the stack. The pile was back in his pants pocket when an old man came in through a back door.

"Oh, there you are." The man said, grinning at the two people standing at the counter. "It'll be thirty-five dollars sir." He said, walking up to the counter.

Clark handed him to twenties and told him to keep the change.

"Thank you." The elderly man said, his hands shaking just a little as he took the money. He eyed them both for a second, his experienced years picking up on something. "Where are you two heading, if you don't mind me asking?"

"The coast." Lois said cheerfully as she looked at the man and then back at Clark.

"I didn't see a car out there." The man said with a grin. "I would assume you're taking a bus?" He slipped the money into a small box under the countertop.

"That's right." Clark said slowly, looking form Lois to the old man with a raised eyebrow. "What are you getting at?" He asked suddenly, his eyes searching the old man. There was something strange about him that he couldn't put his finger on.

"The bus stops here for gas. We sell tickets actually." He brought up two tickets from under the counter and laid them in front of the young couple.

"Wow." Clark said in surprise. "How much do we owe you?" He asked, fishing for the money is his pocket again.

The man waved at him dismissively. "Nothing, just think as it as a return gift."

Lois stared at the old man with penetrating eyes. "What do you mean?"

He settled his eyes on the large black haired man on the other side of the counter. "I saw how you got back from Phoenix." He grinned suddenly as he watched both their eyes go wide.

"Please…" Clark whined suddenly. "Don't tell anyone."

"Don't worry, I won't." He pushed the tickets closer to them until they scooped them up. "Everyone has their secrets lad, and I wouldn't be running an old motel in the middle of nowhere if I didn't have my own." He winked at them.

Lois and Clark both visibly relaxed as he reassured them he'd keep quiet. "Thank you." Lois said.

"Go now, the bus is here."

Clark frowned as he listened for the sound of a vehicle in the distance. He couldn't hear anything, but he just nodded and went to the door. As Lois walked out the door first, he hesitated and looked back to the old man. He wasn't there anymore. Frowning even deeper, Clark walked out after Lois a second later. He found her standing by the pump, waiting for the bus; she now had the bag in her hand. "That's the only stuff we own." He said, walking up beside her and draping an arm around her shoulder.

She buried her ear into the side of his chest. She pulled out of his grasp a second later and crinkled her nose. Reaching into the bag, she fished out some deodorant and handed it to him. "Put that on and I'll think about letting you hold me like that again." She smiled at him as he took the stick out of her hand.

Clark put on the deodorant and handed it back to her. "Sorry, I can't smell naturally sweet like you do." He said with a mocking tone.

Lois punched him in the shoulder. She gasped as he kissed her suddenly. "God Smallville, you really need to stop doing that when I least expect it." She pulled away and let him drape his arm around her shoulders again.

"I think it's the best way to do it. I can hear your heart jump every time." He grinned down at her wildly.

She swatted him for good measure. "Damn your super hearing." She laughed.

Clark just smiled as the bus suddenly appeared. He frowned at how he didn't hear it earlier. Shrugging it off, he waited until it stopped before they approached it. They greeted the bus driver as she got out to fill it with fuel.

"Make yourself comfortable." She said as she went towards the fuel pumps.

"We will." Clark said as both he and Lois boarded the empty bus. As he stared at the empty seats, he suddenly became aware of just how empty his life was going to be without his parents and friends. At least he had Lois he reminded himself. Even if that perked him up just somewhat, he still felt guilty that he had, essentially, ripped her away from them too.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

Lex walked down the quiet hallways of Smallville medical centre, his three hundred dollar shoes sliding along the floor without a sound. The nearer he got to the room, the more his heart began to beat. Mr. Kent had gone through one heart attack, but another was almost a death sentence. He also knew better than to offer and type of outside help as he had been briefed on the situation earlier. There weren't many times he had been scared for others, but Jonathon was the most honorable person he had ever met. Twenty-four hours had passed, so he could take some comfort in knowing that Mr. Kent was out of immediate danger.

He stopped in front of the room door, his hand shaking as he slowly knocked on it. There was a soft whisper from inside, and he pushed open the door. Inside was Martha, her hand still clutching her husbands as she slept, hunched over the bed. It was almost midnight, and still she would not leave his side. Glancing across the room, he watched Chloe get up off a chair and slowly walk towards him.

Chloe put a finger to her lips and directed him back outside the room. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath.

"How is he?" Lex asked, walking with her down the corridor towards the waiting area.

Chloe managed a soft chuckle. "You really need me to tell you that?"

"I guess not." Lex smiled, finally reaching the coffee machine in the waiting area. The lights were dimmed down since there was no one around. He slipped a few coins in the machine and pressed a button. The smell of caffeine filled his nostrils as he leaned a hand on the machine. "Where's Clark?" He looked at Chloe, her face suddenly sullen. "What's wrong?" He asked a second later.

"Lois and Clark have disappeared." She said, her eyes staring blankly at the coffee falling into the cup.

Frowning, Lex grabbed the full cup and handed it to Chloe. Slipping a few more coins into the machine, he looked back at her. "What do you mean they've disappeared?"

"They ran off. Don't even begin to ask me why. I'm sure had something to do about yesterday." She watched her words carefully. Lex may have been Clark's friend, but she knew better than to trust a Luthor with privy information.

Lex smiled to himself as he took the cup from the machine and found a small pack of sugar. Shaking it back and forth, he opened the top and poured the white crystals into his coffee. It was a serious moment, but he had been dying to tell someone for more than a while now. Chloe's attitude and demeanor told him that she knew too. "You mean the fact that Clark crashed through the roof of that trailer?" He sipped his hot coffee, his eyebrows rising up slightly on his forehead.

Chloe almost let her scalding drink fall from her hands, but she regained her composure. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She said instantly.

Lex smiled at her. He could tell the woman was protective of Clark, maybe even more so now. "You know exactly what I mean. We both know Clark is no mere human." He grinned wildly at her.

She held her defensive position. Lex was trying to pry into Clark's life by getting information from her while she was emotionally vulnerable. "You make me sick." She stated, staring at him. "When are you going to get it through your head that Clark Kent is just a normal Kansas farm boy? I can't believe you'd use a situation like this to push your agenda."

Lex took a step back in surprise. Her words wee hurtful, but he steeled himself. "Chloe, I have known for almost a year about Clark's special gifts. My father thinks he erased my memory, but here's my secret." He leaned up to her ear and whispered. "It didn't work." He smiled at her as she went completely wide eyed.

Chloe was speechless. She wasn't sure what to believe. Lex could still very well be playing with her, but he could also be telling the truth.

He caught her silence as a sign of confusion, so he took another drink a set her worry to rest. "I don't care that he's different Chloe, he's my friend and I accept him for who he is."

Still she was conflicted. He still hadn't given her anything concrete enough to make her believe she could trust him, if the Kent's could trust him.

"Chloe, he ran away because he believes he has put everyone in danger. That's the Clark Kent we both know. There was no way he would stick around if he knew that his secret was compromised. There are those out there that would certainly do anything to get their hands on him."

"Like who?" She asked, slapping her mouth in realization that she had just slipped up. Instead of an expected evil smile from Lex, a genuine look of worry crossed his features.

"My father, for one." He said, taking another drink. "I couldn't imagine the amount of people in Belle Reeve that want to get their hands on him too."

"How did you find out?" She asked meekly, her defenses crumbling down around her as she let sadness overtake her.

"About Clark's secret?" Lex asked. When Chloe nodded, he shrugged in return. "I guess I've always had my suspicions, but I guess when I saw him come into my plane at twenty thousand feet and steal an artifact from me, that kind of sealed the deal." He chuckled to himself at the sight. To this day he was still amazed about what he had seen.

"Why haven't you said anything to him?" Chloe asked, falling into a chair, exhausted.

"I trust Clark; I can understand why he holds things in." He sat down beside her and stared around at the empty waiting room. "I've made my father believe that I don't remember anything from my shock therapy, but that's all a lie."

"And you're lying to us all too." She said in reply.

"Yes, I was, but that's only because I couldn't let my father possibly learn the truth. Much like Clark, I have a many things to lose if the truth were to get out." He took another swallow and stared at her tired eyes.

"What happened at Belle Reeve, how do you know the shock therapy didn't work?" Chloe wiped her tired yes with her right hand.

Lex smiled faintly, the corner of his lips picking up slightly. "Clark tried to break me out, without any regard to exposing his gifts. It was something only a true friend would do. Unfortunately, some of the patients that were also housed there didn't like him very much. They captured him using his only weakness, and then dragged him away as they beat me. I was almost unconscious when I was dragged into the shock room."

She could feel the pain that emanated from his words. There was a sincerity to them that made here feel comfortable. "It must be hard to hide this from him, knowing full well how strange things have been lately."

"It's difficult, but I can take care of myself. A few weeks ago I had seriously gave thought about telling him, but with the whole business with the stones, I forgot about it."

Chloe connected some loose strings in her head while she remembered back to a day earlier, where Martha and Jonathon had told her a little more about their son. They had explained about the stones, only briefly, but it was enough for her to understand one thing. "The stones are meant for Clark." She said in a hurry.

Lex was confused by her words. "What do you mean they're meant for Clark?" He asked, looking into her eyes for meaning.

Chloe took a deep breath. She was more than sure she could now trust him. "From what both Mr. and Mrs. Kent have told me, the stones were left for him to find."

"But why then would a map to the stone be protected by meteor rocks? Clark gets sick just being around them."

"I don't know Lex, but for some reason it's all connected to him." She stopped talking for a second as she realized that Martha would be better able to explain it all. Standing up, she stretched her back and finished her coffee. "Let's go talk to Mrs. Kent. She can best explain everything to you." She waited for Lex to stand before she headed back to the room.

Lex opened the door to the room and let Chloe in first. Closing the door behind himself, he watched as the blond gently shook Martha wake.

"Chloe?" Martha asked, looking up from her lying spot to see a worried expression. "Did you find Clark and Lois?" She asked as second later.

"No." Chloe said, shaking her head.

"I will find them Mr. Kent." Lex said from the door.

Martha's eyes went wide as she saw the young billionaire standing in the shadow of the doorway. She was concerned at his presence, and her sudden outburst of Clark and Lois missing. Lex didn't need to be informed on the matters of their family.

"Mr. Kent?" Chloe asked, squeezing the older woman's shoulder.

"Yes Chloe?" Martha replied, sitting up straight, never letting go of her husband's hand. She looked from Clark's best friend, and over to Lex. Her eyes didn't deflect any notion that she wasn't pleased he was there.

"Lex knows about Clark's powers. He wants to help."

Martha blinked in surprise at her words. "You didn't tell him did you?" She asked, her voice shaking in fright.

Chloe was about to speak, but Lex interrupted her. "No Mrs. Kent, I've known for some time now." He walked towards the two of them slowly.

"Why haven't you done anything?" Martha asked. "You've been researching him all these years and now that you know, you haven't done anything. Why?"

"Why?" Lex asked, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "Clark is my friend. I will admit that I've used poor judgment in the past when it comes to our friendship, but I've also come to some very real conclusions about him too."

Martha almost smiled. This was the Lex she had always hoped would show. They all knew that within him lied the power to become his father, but it didn't happen.

"I've realized that Clark is the one that has saved me, and I can't help but return the favor. He kept me from slipping over the brink, and he's helped me become a better person. He may have special physical powers that dwarf that of normal men, but he also had the strength of heart to help me emotionally. And no matter how strong he is, there is nothing like the human spirit, and believing in someone." He smiled at both of them. He meant every single word.

Martha smiled brightly. The situation they were in was still grave, but the thought of her son helping someone such as Lex see that light, made her realize just how special her son was. "There is much I have to tell you Lex. I wish Jonathon were awake so we could do this together, but Chloe is a good substitute." She patted the woman's hand that was leaning on her chair. "With that cleared out of the way, let me tell you that Clark is not exactly human."

-

The long bus ride from outside Phoenix to Los Angeles had taken almost eighteen hours. There had been frequent stops, but they were lucky enough that there wasn't more than two or three other people on the bus.

Clark watched the buildings of L.A. roll by as he stared out the window. It was nearing six in the morning, and by the haze that settled over the city, he couldn't tell if the sun was up or not. He had gotten in only a few hours of sleep on the bus, while Lois had fallen asleep at nearly nine the night before. She was still exhausted from the run to Arizona. He felt her stir beside him, and he looked over. The smile that was formed on her lips was the cutest thing he had ever seen. She seemed more than content to have him as her pillow.

Lois wiggled a little more in her seat, her sleep finally coming to an end. She mumbled something incoherent as she slowly opened her eyes. She was greeted by a curt smile of the most beautiful lips she had ever seen.

"Good morning." Clark said.

Lois mumbled back at him as she struggled with the light that was coming in through the window. It was still somewhat dark out, but the lampposts were sending in a flash every second or so. With a few more blinks, she opened her eyes fully, only to notice that they were passing numerous large buildings. "We're here?" She asked.

"Yep." He replied, lifting his arm up and draping it around her. He felt her snuggle into the crook of his arm as he squeezed her tightly.

"So what are we going to do?" She asked him, her hand finding a way to push away some hair that was covering her left eye.

Clark looked back out the window for a moment. "I figured we'd find somewhere to eat breakfast, and then maybe find a hotel to stay at."

"Do we even have enough money to stay at a hotel for a while? I have my credit cards, but I can only use them sparingly." She looked up at the side of his face.

Clark looked back down at her, his cheeks reddening just a little. "I counted the money I stole. I didn't realize that I had actually stolen a lot more than I thought."

"How much?" She asked, getting even tighter up to him for warmth.

"Almost eight grand." He said with a soft voice.

Lois let her eyes widen. She whistled softly at the number. "That's certainly enough keep us at a good hotel for a few days. Then we can maybe find an apartment or something." She closed her eyes as they passed another light.

"You actually want to live with me?" He asked, his small smile returning.

"Well, I can't be living all alone in the big city Smallville."

"What happened to the strong and independent Miss Lane?" he asked with a chuckle.

Lois smiled to herself. "She realized that being alone wasn't as robust as it was made out to be. I think I'd rather have someone around to keep me from going insane."

"I couldn't even imagine what all the silence would do to you." He said, looking down into her hazel-brown eyes. "I'd think you'd make up an imaginary friend to talk to."

She laughed at his poor attempt at a joke. "Too bad I like to talk to the real thing. Those super ears of yours are really going to hurt once I'm around you all the time."

Clark laughed. "Let's also remember, I can just run away whenever I feel like it. If you won't shut up, I can just make sure you have no one to talk to."

"You wouldn't." She scoffed.

"No, you're right, I wouldn't. But, that doesn't mean I'm going to let you do all the talking. I have my own opinions and thoughts too." He wiggled his lips at her.

"Shut up." She hissed, leaning up and capturing his lips in a good morning kiss. After pulling away, she licked her lips. "I think some tic-tacs are in order, Smallville."

Clark just rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'm going to have to shove food down your throat for you to stop bugging me, aren't I?"

"Damn straight." She laughed, tapping a finger on his thigh.

The bus slowly came to a stop just inside the city. The high rises were clearly visible in the distance, but for now they were far enough away from the downtown core.

Lois got up out of her seat. She struggled to get her wobbly legs set underneath her as she picked up the bag. "It's been almost two days since I've had a shower. Let's find a hotel and get a room. Maybe just maybe they'll give us a continental breakfast for getting a room so early." She smiled at him and walked towards the front of the bus.

Clark huffed and worked his way out his own seat. Following after her, he thanked the driver for the ride and hopped out onto the bus depot sidewalk. "Smell like California?" He asked mockingly.

"How the hell am I supposed to know what California smells like?" She asked, staring back at him with an annoyed glare.

"I don't know; does it smell like the beach?"

Lois just shook her head in pity. "Smallville, sometimes I could swear you are the weirdest person alive." She grunted as she walked past the bus depot and tried to hail a cab. After a few moments, she finally flagged one down and opened the door to get inside.

Clark followed in after her, his hand finding the seatbelt instantly.

She set the bag in-between the two of them. "The nearest five star hotel please." She said to the driver, who nodded and pulled away from the bus depot.

"Five star?" Clark asked. "We have to watch our money, remember."

Lois shrugged away his warning. "I want a couple of days in luxury before we start looking for a run down apartment with no running water."

Clark's heart sunk a little at her words. He wanted to give her a good place to live, but he also didn't want have to steal money in order to do so. "Tomorrow, I'll look for a job." He said.

"Okay." She said with no hint of emotion in her voice. "Any idea of what kind of job you're going to look for?" Truthfully, she didn't want him to have to work. There were too many things going on with him that she didn't want him burdened with something else. She would have told him exactly that, but she suddenly realized he needed to keep himself busy so that he could keep his kind off the matters that she was constantly thinking about.

"I don't know." Clark replied, scratching his head aimlessly. "Maybe something local, then we'll see what happens once we're settled down a bit."

Lois bit her lip to keep from responding. She almost snapped at his words. The idea of settling down was almost too much to take. The sooner they were back in Smallville the better, but it seemed like Clark had no notions of returning. She thought about bringing it up, but she could see that he was hurting at the moment. The forlorn look in his eyes was all too telling.

They rode the rest of the way in silence, neither one willing to bring up any form of conversation as they both looked out their respective windows. The sun was just beginning to peak up over the horizon as the cab pulled to a stop at a nice ritzy hotel.

Clark stepped out and stood looking at the hotel. The building rose up nearly twenty stories. He was feeling very aware of the money that was stuffed in his pockets. "I don't know Lois, this looks rather expensive." He turned around and gave her hand out of the cab. Surprisingly, she didn't refuse his help. He smiled only a little, and closed the door. He walked up to the passenger door and handed the cabbie a couple twenties. Telling him to keep the change, he turned around to talk to Lois, but she was already walking up the stairs towards the door. He caught up with her as she reached the desk.

The lobby of the hotel looked very expensive with its large chandelier and gold everywhere. He gulped as he stood beside Lois, he was going to regret letting her pick this place. It wasn't seven in the morning yet, so there was no one anywhere in the lobby.

"May I help you?" A blond woman behind the counter asked.

"We'd like a room for about a week." Lois said, smiling.

The woman smiled at the young couple and typed a few things into the computer beside her. "Ah, yes, we have a honeymoon room available for about two hundred a night."

Clark stared at the woman bug eyed. "No honeymoon room." He said in a hurry. His voice almost faltered, but he steadied himself.

Lois didn't act as surprised as she took out her credit card and handed it over to the woman. "The honeymoon room will be fine." She said with a smile. She almost laughed as she saw Clark redden deeply.

The woman swiped the card and handed it back. "We'll charge you half for now, and when you check out, we'll make sure to get the rest from you." She smiled at the two of them. The young man was so red he looked ill, while the brunette was smirking wildly. "Do you need help with your luggage?" She asked cheerfully.

"No thanks." Clark seethed. "We can handle it." His eyes settled on Lois as he glared at her. He yanked the key from the woman's hand without looking. "You're going to pay for that." He warned. Turning away from Lois, he walked towards the elevator.

Lois let out a small laugh as she followed him into the elevator. They had the honeymoon suite, and truth to tell, no matter what had happened in the past few days, she was going to take full advantage of it. She hefted her bag over her shoulder and waited for Clark to push the button for the thirteenth floor. "Smallville." She said with a glare.

"Oh, right." He said, his face going red. He pushed the button and the doors closed.

"God Smallville, can't stop thinking about what you're going to do to me in the heart shaped bed are you?" She smirked at him, feeling his uneasiness come to the forefront.

Clark swallowed heavily, his throat tightening. "I uh-."

"Relax Clarky, gees you're uptight." She laughed at him as she ripped the keys out of his hand and exited the now open elevator.

He smiled to himself as he watched her walk confidently through the hallway. He shook his head slowly and walked after her. She turned and smiled at him with a goofy toothed grin. He couldn't help but smile back as he approached her. "What's with the keys?" He asked, reaching her and taking the bag from her arm. "I thought all these five star hotels used a card system."

Lois shrugged as she slipped the key in and unlocked the door. She pushed it open and stepped inside. Her preconceived notions of pink and red everywhere was instantly thrown out the window by the sight of a regular white hotel room. Her brow furrowed as she kicked off her shoes and wandered around the place. She soon realized just how big the room was. There was a separate kitchen, one massive bathroom with a hot tub style bathtub, and a separate shower. Her eyes took in the splendor as she walked back out and towards another room. Her breath halted as she entered the bedroom. Instead of a heart shaped bead, there was an enormous Victorian style gold and brass bed. White satin curtains hung all around it, while there was a large dresser that adorned the left wall.

Clark walked up behind her and looked around the room. "I didn't know we were getting married." He laughed.

Lois almost fainted, but turned around and looked into his sparkling eyes. "What did you just say?" She seethed.

He could have sworn she was going to hit him, so he put his arms over his face to protect himself. When the strike didn't come, he opened his eyes and peeked between them. Lois was still standing there, but her anger had been replaced by a smirk. "What?" He asked, more than a little frightened.

"You want to marry me?" She asked. She knew she had instantly crossed the line, but she couldn't help herself. If he wanted to toy with her like that, she was going to give back just as well. Her mouth wrinkled into a tight smirk as she watched his eyes bulge to an unbelievable level.

Clark dropped the bag as he groaned. "What am I going to do with you?" He said with resignation. There was no response from her, just that stupid smirk. He grumbled and picked her up over his shoulder. Carrying her over to the bed, he whipped aside the curtains and tossed her in. "I get the shower first." He grinned.

"Oh no you don't." Lois glared at him. It had taken her a second to get over the initial shock of him picking her up like a sack of grain, but she had found her bearings. She went to get up out of the bed, but suddenly he was gone. Grumbling under her breath, she hurried out of the door and towards the bathroom. The sound of water could already be heard as she stood at the closed door. "Come on Smallville, I called it earlier." She whined.

Clark opened the door and got out of the bathroom. "I know, but I just decided to start the shower for you." He smiled and let her walk inside. "Plus, I'm going to use the tub while you're in the shower."

"You're not allowed in here at the same time I am." She said, turning around to face him. "I don't think I can trust you to keep your vision to yourself."

"Fine." He replied, resigning to her statement. "I'll order us some breakfast while you get clean." He smiled at her and closed the door. When the door was closed, he let out a deep sigh. Walking to the phone in the kitchen, he ordered some food. It would be more than ten minutes, so he went into the bedroom and rooted through the large dresser. Spying a pair of fancy pajamas, he changed out of the two day old clothes he was wearing. The pajamas were a little too small, but he managed to get them on over his large frame. The pajama top was another matter. Struggling all he could, he couldn't get the buttons to reach one another. Giving up, he just let it hang open as he carried his clothes to the front door. He'd make sure to give his clothes over to be cleaned. Dropping them into a pile, he heard a soft voice from behind.

"Put these there too." Lois said, dropping her clothes outside the bathroom door as she stood there with a towel wrapped around herself. Her eyes caught the sight of Clark in a ridiculously small red and gold pajama outfit. Her laughter cut through the air as she closed the door and went back inside the bathroom.

Clark smiled to himself as he walked over and picked up her clothes. Dropping them into the pile by the front door, he felt the pajama pants stretch a little too much, ripping at the crotch. "Just great." He fumed, bending his head down to survey the damage. The rip wasn't big, but he knew full well that Lois was going to bug him about it. He could still hear her trailing laughter as he listened to her get into the shower. Shaking his head, he walked to the kitchen. Opening up the small fridge, he found nothing but baking soda and margarine. Slamming the door shut, he put his hands on the counter. His parents would kill him if they knew he was in a honeymoon suite with a woman, and with Lois of all people. Shaking his head, he heard a light knock at the door. His mind struggled with the awkwardness of the situation, and the deep feeling of pain that seemed to be lingering. Pushing away those thoughts, he turned his mind to food, and opened the door.

Her cheery smile turned into a mouth agape as she looked at the beast of a man standing before her. Her eyes trailed up his hard stomach to his face before she could even get out a simple hello. There was a slight flush that turned his face red as he caught her gaping. "Food sir." She managed finally.

Clark's throat tightened as he stepped aside and let her wheel the cart full of food in. "Thanks." He replied, still uneasy about what the gaping the woman was doing. Lois had told him he was a fine specimen to look at, but he would never get used to woman ogling him. At that exact moment, he felt like the whole world was watching him. "I uh, there's some clothes by the door that need to be washed." He struggled with his words as he watched the woman redden too. "We can wash it ourselves if it's too much trouble."

"No." The woman said; her cheeks fully flustered. She went over to the door and picked up the laundry. "Just call if you need anything else." She said, keeping her eyes to the floor as she closed the door behind herself.

He didn't move for almost a minute. He wasn't quite sure if he should be flattered, or violated. Lois would have slapped any man who would have looked at her like that, but then again, Lois was prickly woman. Smiling a second later, he decided to take it as a compliment, and grabbed a plate off the tray. He brought it to the small table in the kitchen and set it down. The aroma of eggs, sausage, and toast filled his nostrils as he turned back to grab the orange juice off the cart. On his way back to the table, he flicked on the coffee machine on the counter. Lois would have killed him if he hadn't.

Sitting down at the table, he scooted his chair closer. With a glass of juice in front of him, he grabbed his fork and dug into the scrambled eggs. Stuffing a few parcels into his mouth, he remembered just how much he was going to miss his mother's morning breakfasts. His appetite lessened the more he thought about home. He had been gone only two days, but already homesickness was settling in. If it wasn't for Lois, he would have been completely miserable. "Hurry up Lois, your food is getting cold." He yelled.

"I'm hurrying." She yelled back, draping her towel around herself. Her hair was in a messy tangle, but she had finally gotten it washed. The water had brought a very refreshing clean to her body. She promised herself she would never go two days without a shower again. She heard Clark yell something back, but she just ignored it. With only a towel wrapped around herself, she walked out of the bathroom and towards the tray of food that was calling to her. Quickly as she could, she lifted the cover and took in the smell. Picking up the plate, she sat down on the other side of the table. "Oh. Coffee." She said, about to get back up.

"I got it." Clark said, his eyes staring right at her. She smiled at him as he got up. "I wouldn't want you to lose the towel if you got up." He shot quickly, striding over to the counter and fishing out a mug from the cupboard. He poured a cup of almost boiling coffee and walked back to the table. Setting the cup in front of her plate, he sat back down.

"Thank you." She said with a grin. "About the towel, are you afraid to look at what's underneath?" She was toying with him again.

"I'm not afraid of what's underneath Lois, I'm just afraid of what I'd do to you if I saw what was underneath." He gave her a sloppy grin as he chewed through a piece of toast.

Lois glared at him. "I told you not yet, but If you play your cards right, you never know." She gave him a small wink, sending a blush up his neck. He is such a boy scout she thought to herself. Biting into some eggs, she moaned at the taste. "These are almost as good as your mothers."

Clark looked at her, his breath and the air around him being sucked out by the admission. His mouth opened to talk, but his throat tightened up at the mention of his parents out loud. As much as he tried to hide the pain, the verbal mention of them was almost too much.

Lois lost her grin as she looked across the table at Clark. His eyes were misting over as he struggled to breathe. She could instantly tell that it was her mentioning of his parents that had him upset. "I'm sorry." She said, her hand stretching out across the small table and grabbing a hold of his. "I'm sorry." A tear almost threatened to fall down her own cheek, his pain almost too much for her to take. In his eyes she could see the hurt, the excruciating pain he felt. At that moment, all she wanted to do was hold him and never let him go.


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7

Clark lifted the plates from the table and tossed them into the small sink. Their ensuing breakfast had been rather quiet, but it wasn't his fault. Lois always found the wrong time to say something completely out of reason. She should have know better than to talk about home, especially his home, but he did understand that she was pretty much a ditz when it came to opening her mouth before she thought. "It's okay Lois, I'm not mad." He turned on the tap and filled the sink with water.

"Yes you are. I can hear it in your voice. Not to mention the rigid look to your body." She finished her coffee and held the mug lazily in one hand. "I'm sorry Smallville, I don't know how many times I have to say it."

"None." He seethed. "I already told you not to worry about it."

"But I am." She shot back.

He just decided to ignore her. She wasn't going to drop it unless he did. Even if she thought she was being sincere, he knew full well that she was subconsciously trying to get the last word in. Sometimes he even wondered if the woman knew how flippant and genuinely annoying she was. Her voice was droning on in the background as he slapped the suds around the plate sin the sink. A soft whistle escaped his lips as a tune that was caught in his head made its way out.

"Smallville?" She asked for the tenth time. She could take him ignoring her, but when he went as far as to whistle a soft tune to distract himself, it pushed things over the edge. Grunting in frustration, she went up behind him and drew back her hand to grab his attention.

Clark continued whistling and turned to the right, making sure to keep his eyes on the dishes. He caught her oncoming fist without looking, his whistling stopping for a second. "Best not to hurt yourself Lois." He said, dropping her hand and turning back to the sink and his whistling.

Lois just stood there in mute surprise, her hands falling limply to her sides. How in the world did he know she was going to do that? Even with all his confessed abilities, he shouldn't have known she was doing that, she had even been deathly quiet. Her frustration grew even more as he picked up his whistling again. "Smallville." She growled.

This time he turned around, a dish in his hand and a towel wiping it dry. He casually looked at her and replied with a very condescending tone. "Yes?"

"Don't give me that tone mister."

Clark just raised a quizzical eyebrow and turned back around to the sink. He wasn't really in the mood for Lois's bickering. If anything he was incredibly tired from a long night of restless sleep on a bus. "Some of us didn't sleep nine hours last night."

Lois caught the hint of malaise in his voice, but she chose to ignore it. "Don't go trying to blame your grumpy attitude on that."

He just sighed and finished drying the plates. He picked them up and walked over to the tray, placing them on the gold platter. "I'm heading for that large tub, if I don't come out for a few hours, don't worry, I don't wrinkle."

A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she watched him enter the large bathroom, the door closing noisily behind him. She had thoughts of joining him, but she remembered that they had decided to take things slow. Feeling a little free, she locked the hotel room door and closed all the drapes. She looked cautiously around the apartment, and then let her towel fall to the floor. Taking a deep breath, she stood in the middle of the main room, naked in all her glory. Clark was certainly missing out on something.

"Lois?" Clark hollered from in the bathroom.

"Yes?"

"Put something on, please."

Her eyes went wide as she quickly ran into the bedroom and searched through the dresser for a complimentary robe. "Damn you and your vision." She mumbled.

"I heard that!" He yelled.

"Shut Up!" She screamed at him through two walls.

"Put some clothes on first." He laughed back.

She just grumbled and found a red bath robe. Slipping it on, she strode back into the main room and found the TV remote. "I'm dressed." She stated angrily.

"Good, I don't think I could take looking at you naked anymore."

Lois could hear him chuckling through the wall. "What, you don't like my body?" Her voice was pouting and smug at the same time.

"Well, yes, I like your body, but my heat vision has this water ready to boil a lobster."

Lois laughed aloud at his comment. She remembered how it was exactly triggered. "My goodness Smallville, make sure not to melt the glue on the linoleum. I don't think falling walls would be appreciated by the hotel."

"Maybe your cold persona could cool this place down."

"Fine line Smallville." She hollered, turning on the television.

"Yes ma'am." He replied, sitting back in the tub as the water began to rise up to his chest. It was actually more like a hot tub, but either way, it was incredibly relaxing. He let his anxieties and his pain wash away with the relaxing sensation. "Ahhh." He breathed, slumping down even more in the tub. Before he knew it, his eyes had closed and his mind had shut down for a power nap.

-

Lois had sat and watched the news for almost three hours. There wasn't anything on in the morning and at some point she had dozed off. Her mind jerked awake as she heard a nasal voice from the television. She grumbled at herself for falling asleep. She had just slept for nine hours, yet she had dozed off before noon. She cursed herself for starting to act like a true farmer. At that, she suddenly realized that Clark was nowhere in sight. Smiling to herself, she got up off the couch and walked to the bathroom. "Smallville, you asleep in there?" When she heard no noise from behind the doorway, she grinned and walked over to the kitchen. Fumbling her way through drawer after drawer, she found what she was looking for. Holding up a fork triumphantly, she quickly bent three of the four pieces on the counter edge. Eyeing her masterpiece, she went back to the bathroom door. She was about to unlock it with the fork, but Clark opened it.

He looked down at Lois's improvised lock pick. "That anxious to see me naked huh?"

Lois was still bent down, her eyes directed right at the waistband of his pajama pants. Her gaze lingered on his taut stomach as she brought her eyes slowly upwards to his face. "You're awake." She almost gasped.

"Well, all that noise you made in the kitchen a moment ago was enough to wake a hibernating bear." He smiled at her as he moved out of her way, still rubbing the towel through his wet hair. The pajama shirt was still lying in the bathroom. It was too small to be even remotely comfortable.

"You forgot your shirt." Lois said as she peered into the bathroom.

"Too small." Clark commented, walking into the bedroom and laying down on the slightly ruffled blankets. The power nap hadn't been enough, he was still tired. His eyes were almost shut, but he suddenly heard Lois shout out.

"When's the laundry supposed to be back?" She yelled from inside the other room.

"How should I know?" He growled. When he heard a snort from her, he just shot back with a lame backup. "It'll be back tonight after the days work. Just be patient Lois."

"Patient? How in the world are we supposed to pass an afternoon?" She asked, walking up to the doorway and looking at Clark, who was sprawled out on the bed.

"I don't know, order some candy and pig out." He suggested.

"Or." Lois began, her voice becoming low and seductive.

Clark lifted his head to see Lois standing at the doorway in her robe. She was twirling one of the sashes around like a baton. "Or what?" He asked with a meek voice.

"We could always put that mattress to use." She looked dangerously at him, his cheeks reddening and his adam's apple bobbing like a scuba diver.

He was at a loss for words. His throat had tightened so tight he thought he had lost all contact with the outside air. Inhaling sharply, he continued to stare right at her. She didn't seem very affected by her own words, but they were certainly tearing him apart. "Lois." He croaked. "I thought we agreed-."

"To take it slow, yeah, I know." She said with an exasperated gasp. "I'm just bored." She resigned, leaning up against the doorframe and fingering it softly.

"Well, I'm planning on taking a snooze. You're welcome to join me here." He smiled and dropped his head back onto the pillow.

Lois smiled to herself as she made her was forward. The room was dark, but the morning light was still strong enough to illuminate the room through the blinds.

Clark closed his eyes a second later. They opened suddenly as he felt Lois get up on the foot of the bed. Bending his head up again; he watched her crawl on her hands and knees towards him. The look on her face was nothing less than of pure evil. The smirk she sported was unlike anything he had ever seen. It wasn't her regular smirk, it signaled pure lust. He gulped loudly as she crawled over his legs, her breasts touching his knees. He couldn't keep his eyes from drifting to her robe that was hanging loosely. Her breasts were clearly visible. A small croak escaped his throat as he watched her continue forward, her hands now firmly planted to either side of his shoulders.

"What Smallville, cat got your tongue?" She dangerously brought her right knee up between his legs. She was careful enough not to touch anything but his inner thigh.

"I-I-I." He stammered. There wasn't a thing in the world that could break his gaze away from the look on her face.

"Relax." Lois laughed, falling over on to her side in a fit of mirth.

Clark didn't think it was too funny, he just laid there unmoving. "Lois, that was not funny."

"The look on your face made my day." She replied, another laugh escaping her. Soon she was sprawled out on the king size bed beside him, her chest falling up and down with every laugh.

"I don't know what to say about the look you just gave me?" Clark said, his voice still a little shaky.

"Scared you, didn't I?" She rolled onto her left side and propped herself up on an elbow.

Clark turned his head to see her gazing at him with a tight smirk. "In more than one way." He eyed her suspiciously, but she just continued to smirk. "You should wear your hair loose more often."

Lois frowned at him and laughed. "When did you suddenly become a hairstylist?" Her tone was mocking, but she was only playing with him.

Reaching out, he took a strand of her semi-damp hair and rubbed it in his fingers. "Ever since I realized I like it hanging loosely. I won't force you to keep it like that, just thought I'd tell you that you look radiant."

She melted at his sweet comment. "Well, I really should have combed it after my shower, but I thought I'd go Clark Kent today, all un-kept and messy."

"Hey, in my defense, I can't comb my hair."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I can't bug you about it." She slapped him playfully on the arm. "I'll keep it loose if you stop shaving." She rubbed the back of her hand down his cheek. "I like your stubble."

"You better, because I don't have a meteor rock with me. I sort of lack the necessary means to shave."

"You mean you use a meteor rock to shave?"

"Yes." Clark said. "Just a tiny one, almost the size of a marble."

"I thought you said just the slightest piece caused you pain. Why would you try to shave yourself with a blade if it makes you sick? You must cut yourself constantly." She turned her hand over to place a caring hand on his cheek.

"Believe me; I cut myself plenty, but not anymore." He watched her frown, so he continued. "This is going to sound pretty pathetic, but my mom shaves me."

Lois let out a throaty laugh as she dropped her head from her hand and let her arm straighten out. Her fit of laughter lasted longer than she thought it would, but at least Clark had gotten caught up in it too. "Smallville, that's the most pathetic, but strangely cute thing I've ever heard."

Clark couldn't help but smile, her laughter was too infectious. "It's sad, I know, but I haven't figured out a way to do it without hurting myself. I may be invulnerable, and my wounds may heal up right away, but that doesn't mean I don't feel the nicks."

"Awe, you're such a softy." She laughed. Her hand leaving his face lay on the bed in front of herself. Once again she had her left elbow bent and her head resting on her knuckles.

He just bit his tongue at her words. They were meant to be sincere, but there was some mocking tossed in. "So, what are you up for tonight?" He asked suddenly.

Caught off guard by the sudden question, she stared at him blankly. "I don't know, maybe some clothes or something." She saw Clark's expression darken. "Don't worry; I'm sure they have plaid around here somewhere." She smirked wildly at him.

Clark just laughed as he continued to lie on his back. "We'll see, first off I'd like to get my clean clothes back from laundry before I go wandering outside this hotel room."

"Oh come one, wouldn't we look like quite the pair walking down the street in only a pajama bottom and a bath robe."

"Yes, we would be quite the pair." He rolled his eyes. "I think they'd capture us and throw us in the loony bin." He paused to close one eye, to make it look as if he was scrutinizing her. "Well, maybe just you."

"Hey." She yelped, swatting him again for good measure. This time she didn't get away with it though, as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.

Clark pulled her towards him as he turned to his right and kissed her suddenly. Whether or not she had been waiting do that as long as he had been, he didn't know, but damn it tasted good. Pulling back, he smiled devilishly. "Catch you by surprise?" He asked.

"Only a little." She replied, pushing him onto his back as she crawled neatly onto his chest. Only her robe separated her bare chest from his. In the heat of the moment, neither of them held back, their fingers groping each other's face's as they explored one another's mouth. "Mmm." Lois moaned, her eyes closed and her face just a little flustered. "You're a good kisser." She complimented, pulling her lips from his.

"You're not too bad yourself." He replied, draping his arms around her protectively.

She felt safe in his arms, secure from the outside world. Laying her head on his chest, she allowed him to just hold her. Mumbling something incoherent, she nuzzled into him some more, her damp hair spreading across his chest loosely.

Clark felt himself drifting off to sleep, his heart beating slower and slower with each passing minute. By the sound of Lois's breathing, she was either asleep, or nearly there.

-

Lex sat at his desk and rubbed his weary eyes. He had spent all night at the hospital, coming to grips with everything he had heard. It wasn't a complete shock, but it had rattled him. Sighing deeply, he got up and left the mansion, the skid marks from his car tires the only evidence he had indeed returned the night before.

-

Chloe leaned her elbows on her desk, her head in her upright palms. She had spent half the night at the hospital with Martha and Lex, and then the rest night and morning at the Torch, looking for any sign as to where Lois and Clark had ran off to. Reaching for her coffee, she shook it. To her dissatisfaction, it was empty. She tossed the paper cup into the trash as she leaned back in her chair.

"Need a refill?"

She opened up her eyes to see Lex standing at the doorway, a tray of fresh Talon coffee adorning his hands. "Please." She replied, taking a cup from him as he took one himself and set the tray with the other two in it on the desk.

"Long night huh?"

"You can say that again." Chloe sighed in frustration. "At least we know Mr. Kent is going to be okay. I couldn't picture how this world would go on without the man."

Lex could only nod in agreement. "It would have been nice if Clark or Lois had taken a cell phone with them, for I'm sure they would have come back if they knew what was happening."

Chloe leaned forward, her head scant inches from her computer monitor. A sudden pop up came on screen and she clicked. Her eyes went wide as she read the message.

Lex, seeing Chloe's eyes go wide, looked at the computer screen over her shoulder. "California?" He asked. "That can't be right."

She clicked to verify, and it was true. "Lois used her credit card at a hotel in Los Angeles." Her eyes went even wider as more information came into her sight. "They got the honeymoon suite." Her eyes trailed up to Lex, who was staring intently at the screen.

"Maybe they did run off to get married. From what Martha told us, it's all within the realm of possibilities when it comes to Clark's inner Kryptonian." Lex studied the message and the information a little more. "Hmm, why don't you try calling the concierge desk and see if you can get through to their room?"

"Good idea." She said, picking up the phone and dialing the required number. "Yes? hello. I was wondering if I could be forwarded through to the honeymoon suite."

"_I'm sorry miss, but I cannot forward the call unless I have been given instructions by the occupants to allow them." _

"The man who is in that room, his father has had a heart attack. I need to talk to him." Chloe was feeling suddenly desperate.

"_That's certainly important enough to let you through, but first I'll need you to tell me who the room is booked under. Just a little security measure." _

"It should be under Lois Lane." She said heatedly. Her patience was wearing thin, and combined with her tiredness, she was getting increasingly irritable.

"_Right miss, one second and I'll have you transferred post hast." _

"Thank you." Chloe said to the man on the other end of the phone. She looked at the computer screen and saw that it was about eleven O'clock on the west coast. The phone began to ring on the other end as she looked up at Lex. "It's ringing." She smiled. She turned it onto speaker phone for Lex's benefit.

After nearly the sixth ring, a groggy voice appeared on the other end. _"Yeah?" _It asked gruffly.

"Clark?"

"_Yeah?" _

Chloe was about to speak again, but a voice in the background could be heard. It was Lois.

"_Smallville, hang up the phone and come back to bed." _

Chloe almost screamed into the phone, but Lex's reassuring hand on her shoulder kept her calm. "Clark Kent, this is-."

"_Wait just a minute." He turned away from the phone. "Lois, keep quiet, I'm on the phone. Gees, can't you wait just a few minutes, I'll be back under the covers in no time." _

"_But it's already getting cold in here." Lois whined _

"_Then tie your bath robe back up!" He shot back._

"_You undid it." _

"_And that makes me liable to do it back up?" He rolled his eyes and ignored her. He turned his attention back to the phone. "Yeah, you got my attention again." _

Lex took his turn, "Clark, this is-." But he was cut off just like Chloe. The sound of Lois's voice was a little closer to the phone this time.

"_Smallville?" _

Both Chloe and Lex could hear the pure seductiveness in her voice. They both looked at each other in disbelief. Clark's voice was once again audible, but instead of words, there were just croaks and groans.

"_I-uh-I got to go." _

They heard Clark gulp loudly, and the next thing they knew, the phone was hung up. Once again, they just stared at each other in disbelief. "Tell me that that didn't sound at all like I thought it did?"

Lex looked at her helplessly. There wasn't really any other answer for it.

His silence told her everything. "Oh my god!" She gasped, her hand flying over her mouth. "My god." She repeated in disbelief.

All Lex could do was smile, but he carefully hid that from Lois's cousin. Whatever Clark was on, he was seemingly getting somewhere no normal Clark Kent would get. "Come on Chloe, I'll take you back to the Mansion, Lucy is there, and you can take a well needed nap. It's almost two in the afternoon and you haven't slept in over twenty-eight hours."

"Neither have you." She argued as he helped her out of the chair. Chloe grabbed the tray of coffees as he ushered out of the Torch and into the hallways.

"No, I haven't slept either, but I'll get my rest on the jet." Lex guided her out of the school and towards his car.

"Where are you going?" She asked lazily, already half asleep.

"California." He said passively. She seemed not to register what he said, which didn't surprise him, she was almost completely asleep as he put her seat belt on for her. "Don't worry Chloe, we'll get them back." With that, he sped off to the mansion, and his ever awaiting leer jet.

-

Clark stood there with his mouth agape. In the doorframe stood Lois, her left arm leaning up against it as her right hip jutted out. Her robe hung loosely open as she stood there, her left breast clearly exposed. "Uh, Lois."

"Just come here Clark." She said.

"What about slow?" He asked timidly, his hand finally leaving the phone.

"Screw slow!" She replied

Clark got another good look at her and swallowed hard. He walked towards her suddenly. "Right, screw it."


	8. Chapter 8

Ch. 8

Lois shifted her weight a little, her right leg positioning itself in-between Clark's outstretched ones. It was close to three, their love making having lasted nearly four hours. It had been a furious display of passion that she had certainly never experienced. She felt guilty though, he had seemed to put much more energy into it than she did. But then again, her Smallville was no mere human, and that excited her almost as much as seeing him naked.

In truth, it had been so wonderful that she thought it merely a dream. When they were both incredibly exhausted, they just held each other. She couldn't sleep though; she had gotten enough rest on the bus. Clark on the other hand was sleeping like a badger. He elicited gruff snorts and heavy breathing, which was clearly a sign that his slumber was troublesome.

Lois lifted her head from the position on his chest and looked directly at his face. His brow was furrowed ever so slightly, and the corners of his lips would twitch every couple of seconds. She recognized a bad dream when she saw one; she had held her sister while she slept numerous times when they were children. Her mind drifted off to her family as she nestled her head back onto his chest. So many people left behind, and yet for some reason she felt good about it. It was Clark, she knew it. He made everything seem alright.

Something inside her was changing, not only for the realization that she had feelings for Clark, but the fact that she felt happy. It was strange, her whole life had been filled with obstacles and struggles, yet everything seemed to have worked out. Well, her sister hadn't gone down the correct path, but that could be fixed as soon as the general caught wind of what had happened. Nuzzling her cheek into his strong chest, she smiled widely to herself. The moment was perfect. The setting was nothing short of the most romantic thing she had ever seen. The bed was massive, probably able to fit four grown people without any trouble. Clark made it feel smaller though, he was definitely the largest body she had been with.

She was tired, and her eyelids began to droop ever so slightly. Sleep wasn't really the best thing at the moment; her internal clock wasn't going to like it. She knew that if she continued to lie there with him, she would eventually fall asleep, so she gently peeled the covers of herself and slipped off him. He didn't so much as move a muscle as she disengaged herself. Standing naked at the side of the bed, she bent over and placed the sheet back over his body. To her, he looked even cuter than a new puppy, the pout to his lips, the slow rise and fall of his chest arousing her. She placed a hand to her neck as she continued to stare down at him lovingly. Never in a million years did she ever believe that a farm boy could touch her in such ways that just remembering them together could bring about red cheeks.

It was helpful that she had been in only a robe; otherwise he would have likely ripped her clothes off. He was timid, but when he had turned himself over to what he wanted, her, he became a ferocious lion, his body radiating heat and passion. She had wanted it that way and he had given it to her just like she asked. If the future she would make sure to go slower with him, but for the first time, it was a memorable experience that she would never forget.

As she slipped on her bath robe, she tied a loop on the front. A second later, there was a soft knock at the door that tore her gaze from Clark. Turning from the bed, she strode quietly from the room and towards the main door. She was almost on her tip toes as she tried to be as quiet as possible. She opened the door, and instead of being greeted by a person from the hotel staff, she was greeted with a wide smile from Lex Luthor.

"Oh Shit." She said with a squeak, her throat tightening up so tight she thought she might die. "Lex." She managed with a hoarse whisper.

"May I come in?" He asked slyly, his grin getting even wider than before. When she stepped aside, he walked through and looked round at the suite. It was pretty much as he expected. The smile on his face never faltered as he turned back to Lois, who was only in a bath robe. "So?" He asked.

Lois closed the door quietly and looked at Lex with a tight frown. "Shh." She commanded with a finger to her mouth. "Clark's sleeping, keep your voice down."

Lex nodded. He tried to speak again, but she cut him off.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked, slipping by him and closing the door to the bedroom. Once it was closed, she turned back and stared at him angrily.

He walked over to the sink and turned the faucets on and off to make sure they worked. He was doing it because he was nervous. Chloe was too tired to come along, so he had come alone, but she had told him that if he didn't bring them home, she was going to make sure he'd never have children. It was probably a joke, but it sure as hell didn't seem like one at the time.

"I've come because you two have disappeared from the face of the earth. You likely would have stayed hidden if it was for the determination of your cousin. She's quite the spitfire I must say." He continued to grin as he filled up a glass of water. When he turned to her, she was still boring holes in him with her sight. "What? Did you think that your cousin would let this drop?" He chuckled softly.

Lois knew he was right. Chloe would have done anything to find them, and having a billionaire friend was the means towards getting them home. "So, are you here to take us home?" she asked dryly.

Lex shrugged and set the glass on the counter. "I can't make you do anything Lois, the decision is up to you and Clark." When she looked somewhat surprised, he took another drink and looked are her with his eyebrows raised comically. "You know, if you and Clark really wanted to elope and get married that badly, I could have arranged something for you."

She almost choked on her own tongue as she heard the word elope. "We're not married." She said in a hurry, her words making him chuckle lightly. "We didn't disappear because we're getting married."

"But you're in a honeymoon suite, in a bath robe, and by the telephone conversation Chloe had with Clark; it seemed as if you were doing things that a newly married couple would be doing."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That was Chloe on the phone? Oh dear." She said in whisper, her hand running down her face in frustration.

"How was it?" Lex asked a second later.

Her head shot up instinctively, her eyes going wild. "That is none of your business." She said hotly, her eyes falling to the floor in embarrassment.

"No, I guess it isn't, but just to be sure, you did do what I think you did?"

Lois couldn't even look at him. Lex and everyone else thought of her as a good girl who had made past mistakes, but was rectifying herself since living with the Kent's. Now she couldn't help but feel just a little dirty. "I didn't seduce him if that's what you're implying." She said after a few silent moments.

Lex laughed at her awkwardness. She was Clark's perfect equal, and he couldn't help but feel happy for his friend. Lois was a great woman, but he was interested in another. "Don't worry Lois, I won't be telling everyone that you seduced a teenager into your bed."

She squeaked at his attempt at a joke. It was funny, but the situation wasn't quite right for her to laugh. Thankfully Clark was asleep; otherwise he would have been choking and coughing hysterically. "So Lex, there must be some other reason you're here, besides my cousin asking for your help."

His face lost all happiness as he poured the rest of the water into the sink. "Clark's father had another heart attack."

Lois put a hand to her mouth in shock. "Is he okay?"

"He will be, but he's at the hospital right now. He was lucky; he was admitted minutes after he collapsed. Martha was the real hero; she got him to the hospital in what can only be described as record time."

She let her hand rest softly on her chest as she took a deep breath. "I hope he'll be okay." She leaned on the island counter a second later. "Don't tell Clark." She said.

"What?" Lex asked, surprised.

"Don't tell Clark."

"Why?"

Lois was worried about how much she should reveal, but Lex was Clark's friend, or at least he said so. "Clark's dealing with a lot of things right now, and I'm not too sure if he could handle it. I don't think running home right away would be the best thing for him."

"There are people back in Smallville that love him Lois. We all accept him for who he is, even me." He looked at her as her mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Don't worry Lois, I won't tell anyone your boyfriend is an alien." He winked at her.

She almost did a double take of choking as she sat down on a stool in a heap. "I'm assuming Martha told you everything?"

"Yes." Lex responded, his hand rubbing over his bald head. "I wasn't surprised; I've known he's been different for quite a while now. I had no idea that he was from another planet though. It explains everything. I can also understand why he kept it so quiet. Who knows what someone would do with information like that. He could be hurt severely, not only himself, but those close to him."

"And you're not going to do anything?" She asked quietly, he mind exhausted. "Chloe told me about the investigations and the secrecy."

Lex shrugged. "It's in the past Lois, and it may sound strange coming from me, but damn it's good to finally know the truth. His secret was eating away at our friendship." He watched as she let her head fall into her hands. "How are you taking it? I'm assuming he told you everything?"

She nodded, her hands sprawled out across her face. "He did, and to be honest, it was the most endearing thing I've ever heard." She looked up at Lex, who stood leaning up against the counter. "God, what's up with me? One of my best friends tells me he's an alien, and I jump him like a horny school girl."

"No one can explain love Lois. It's sometimes fickle, but often times it's unlike anything else in the world."

"I'm not in love with him." She said in surprise. She was greeted with another sly grin,

"Don't go saying something that is obviously untrue. You and I know full well you two wouldn't have done the deed if you didn't feel some kind of love towards each other. Clark doesn't play with his emotions, he sticks true to them. If you were his first, he feels something for you. Please don't try to deny that you don't feel it too. I know love when I see it." He continued to grin at her as she rested her head in her hands again. "It's okay to be in love Lois."

Lois groaned inwardly. "Not for me it isn't. I'm not twenty yet, and I'm already seeing myself planning out our lives together. "He's still technically a teenager, and he's still in high school. God, everything is going to think I'm a cradle robbing slut."

Her last few words caused him to break out in laughter. "Lois, I don't think anyone is going to accuse you of that."

"My father will." She said in a gruff voice.

"From what I hear from Lucy, I would have thought that his opinion doesn't matter."

"Well, it doesn't but-."

Lex cut her off with a hand in the air, his laugher still escaping his mouth. "You're just looking for excuses to hide what you feel. You love Clark, and you have to realize that before you hurt him."

"But what if he doesn't love me back?"

Again he laughed. He saw the frown on her face, and instantly cut off his mirth. "I wouldn't be so negative, Clark loves you. There is no doubt in my mind. I'm guessing even your cousin would agree, although she is likely to turn a blind eye towards it all. She seemed pretty distraught about the idea of you two hooking up."

Lois took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Chloe still in love with Clark, I know it for a fact, and I don't want to hurt her."

Lex shook his head sadly. "Sometimes in the name of love, other people's feelings get trampled. Sometimes it's an accident, and in your case, it's immanent. You have to be willing to possibly do anything to get what you want. Not everyone can be Clark Kent, we can't all just shove are feelings aside for the greater good. That's his job, and it's your job to love him and support him so he never feels alone."

She had never heard such tender words come out of a Luthor's mouth. It was surprising to say the least, but it was reassuring too. "You really care for him, don't you?" She asked, looking up at the bald man.

"He's the only friend I have, I couldn't care for anyone more than I do him." His words were heartfelt and sincere, and it warmed him that he could be truly honest.

"What about Chloe? I've saw that you've had your eye on her." It was her turn to give back a little advice.

Lex was speechless for a second. He didn't think Lois was that intuitive? "Can't get anything by you can I?"

Lois shook her head and laughed. "So, what are your intentions?"

"What, are you her mother?"

"Yes." Lois shot back, sitting up straight and crossing her arms in an ominous pose. "When it comes to anyone in my family, what happens to them is my business."

Lex laughed and shook his head in mirth. "You and Clark are so alike." He said with a smile.

"Don't change the subject Lex; tell me what your intentions are with my cousin?" This time she was sterner, making sure he understood that it was no laughing matter.

"I like her, a lot." Lex admitted, looking right at the younger woman in front of him.

"What do you plan on doing about it?" She asked heatedly. "If you do anything to hurt her, or play with her emotions, I'll hunt you down." Her threat was real, but there wasn't much doubt that she would accomplish it if she had to. She was raised in the military; she knew how to hunt man.

Lex put his hands up in defense. "Whoa there Lois, I'm not going to hurt her. I'm still trying to decide if I want to approach her about it. She's going through a lot, especially with her cousin and her best friend running off."

Lois could help but feel a little guilty from his last sentence. "I think Clark is rubbing off on you. From what I here, you can be one to swoon a woman right off her feet."

"Your cousin isn't like other women Lois."

"You're damn right." Lois said proudly. "I taught her everything she needs to know to keep herself safe."

Lex chuckled. "I know that Lois, that's why I'm hesitant about telling her. I can't just buy her fancy jewelry to display how I feel; I'm going to have to come up with something unique."

"You better." Lois threatened.

"I will." Lex said with a grin.

"Lois, who the hell are you talking to?" Clark asked, opening the door to the bedroom and walking in the main room, rubbing his eyes with his hands.

"Uh." Lois stammered.

"Lex!" Clark said in surprise, his chest tightening instinctively. "What are you doing here?" He asked hurriedly, his hands tying up the string to his pajama bottoms. He still went without the shirt, but their laundry should have been back by now. He shook his head to bring himself back to the present situation. He looked back up to Lex. "So?"

"Well, Chloe and I tracked down Lois's credit card."

"Is Chloe here?" Clark asked, his arms landing on the island counter as he took a seat on a stool next to Lois.

"No Smallville." Lois interrupted. "She is back in Smallville with everyone else. Lex came alone."

"What can we do for you?" Clark asked, his fingers entwining with Lois's instinctively.

Lex looked at their hands and raised an eyebrow. "I came to bring you home, much like Chloe said I should, but something tells me that you're not going to."

"No." Lois answered, her hand squeezing Clark's tightly.

"Okay." Lex said. "I can understand that. "But how are you going to pay for this little vacation?"

"Kal stole us some money." Lois said with an evil grin.

"Lois!" Clark almost screamed. They had just made love, and now she was revealing his secret to a man he didn't quite trust. It was more than he could take.

She swatted his arm as he removed his hand from hers in fright. She struggled, but managed to get a hold of it again. "He knows Clark, your mother told him everything."

Clark didn't know if he believed her, but the soft look in her eyes told him she wasn't lying. Hesitantly, he looked over to Lex, who was smiling widely. "So, you know the truth?" He asked meekly.

"I do Clark, and I must say, that's one whopper of a secret you've been keeping. I can only say that I'm disappointed I never go to see your spaceship." He smiled even wider, letting his comical words relax his friend. "Don't worry Clark; I'm not going to expose you to the world. Not only would it hurt you, but it would hurt those close to both you and me." He glanced at Lois, and she smiled back with understanding.

"I appreciate it Lex, but I feel awful for having to hide this from you, and everyone for that matter. You have no idea how much it hurt me not to be openly honest with you."

Lex waved the comment away with a hand in the air. "I understand Clark; you're honorable to keep your loved ones safe. And, in the past I've done some things that don't really warrant your trust of me."

"I am trusting you now Lex. I'm hoping my trust is not misjudged?"

"Like I said Clark, it would crush me if I let your secret leak out. There are a great many people who would be hurt by such and act."

Clark could tell that there was something else that Lex was concealing to himself. "I get the feeling you're not being honest with me Lex."

Lex looked at Clark and laughed again. "Like I said Lois, you two are so much-."

"Alike." Lois finished for him, rolling her eyes in an attempt to be annoyed. His words weren't really annoying, she actually liked them. The man spoke the truth, her and Clark were alike in more ways than she could have thought possible.

"Yes." Lex replied with an annoyed look. "Clark, I think I'm falling for Chloe."

Clark groaned as he ran a free hand down his face. "Have you told her yet?" He asked; his head still down, his eyes on the countertop. He really didn't like the idea of Lex and Chloe, it seemed, well, weird.

"No Clark, I haven't, but I plan to."

Clark looked over at Lois. She didn't seem to be upset, and that had him worried. "Lois, does this not bother you?"

She shrugged. "Maybe it would if I wasn't so sure that he's serious about this. I can tell he's not just lusting after my cousin. He feels for her the same way we feel for each other."

Clark let his eyebrows rise slightly as he turned his head to Lex again. "Is this true?" He asked.

"Yes Clark, I have it bad for your lady's cousin." He paused for a second, allowing it settle into the furtive mind of his friend. "Although, she'll likely rip my head off when I show up back in town without the two of you."

"I'll call her later and explain it all." Lois said with a smile.

"Thanks Lois, I'm pretty sure I'd like children someday, and your cousin threatened my juniors more than a few times."

Lois let out a hearty laugh, Clark joining her just a little. "My cousin is becoming more like me everyday." She beamed.

"That's a good thing?" Clark asked with a mocking tone.

She playfully slapped him. "Yes, because it takes a certain kind of woman to handle men with power." She smiled and kissed him softly. "Don't worry, Chloe can handle herself, and I'm sure Lex will be nothing but respectful. Right Lex?" Lois asked, winking at him.

"Scouts honor." He said with a toothy grin.

That got Clark to laugh. "Okay, I trust you'll do what's right. Now, if I can stop acting like a parent who is giving permission for a man to date his daughter, I'd like to get a clean shirt."

"They haven't shown up yet." Lois replied. She watched Clark sigh.

Lex reached into his pocket and drew out his cheque book. He quickly wrote down a number and handed it over to Lois. "Here, just to help you get by for a while."

She looked close, and almost spit. "That's more than a little generous." She commended, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Clark leaned over and caught the number. "She's right Lex, that's enough to live off of for almost three years. We can't accept it." Lois was about to disagree, but Clark held firm on his stance. He took the cheque from her fingers and dropped it on the counter in front of Lex.

"No Clark, I won't let you give it back. This is my gift to you. Who knows how long it will be until you return to Smallville. I can't have you two living on the streets." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "I figured you two wouldn't be coming back for a while, so I contacted realtor and got you a house." When they stared at him slack jawed, eyes wide, he just smiled and continued. "It's in Beverly Hills actually. Just give this number a call when you're ready to get out of this place."

Clark didn't know what to say, he couldn't possibly accept these types of gratuities. "Lex." He began, but Lois shut him up with a finger to his mouth.

"Thank you Lex, but this is mighty generous. Are you sure you want to do this? We'd get awfully bored in a large house. We would be more than happy with a small apartment."

Lex chuckled softly. "No, it's actually a house I bought a long time ago; it's just never been used." He slipped his cheque book back into his coat pocket and went to the door, his black trench coat swinging around. "Oh, and one other thing, I got a job lined up for you Clark, that's if you want it?"

"I'm not finished school yet." Clark said dryly, getting up off the stool and walking with Lois towards the door. "What am I possibly suited for?"

"L.A.P.D." Lex said with a smile. "Someone with your abilities would make a great police officer." He grinned devilishly as he stuffed his hands into his coat pockets.

"I'm going to finish school first." Clark said, still confused about everything. "I might take up your offer later, but for now, I wish to get my diploma."

"Alright Clark, I can understand that completely. I'll set it up so that you can finish high school here."

"Lex." Clark said, a little frustrated with all the favors.

"Clark, don't worry about it. I'm your friend; don't ever think I don't take care of friends." When Lois was about to speak up, he cut her off. "I know you two can take care of yourself, but just let me do this." He could tell they still weren't convinced. "Do it for Chloe, it will put her at ease."

Clark grinned widely at Lex. "You're evil. Using Chloe against us makes you pure evil." He said with a laugh.

Lex joined in the mirth, his own throat releasing a tight chuckle. "I know, but I had no other choice." He grinned at them one last time as he nodded. "Give me a call soon; I want to know what's going on. Plus, I like to speak with my friends."

"We will Lex, we promise." Lois said with a tight smile.

He gave them one last look and smiled. He turned and walked down the hall, leaving them both to comprehend what in the world had just happened. He continued to grin widely as he entered the elevator and pushed the button. The doors closed as he began to chuckle to himself. He had never seen two people so helplessly in love.

-

Back in the room, Clark was still standing at the door, even after closing it five minutes ago.

"Something wrong?" Lois asked, walking up behind and wrapping her arms around him.

"I don't know. What the hell just happened?" He asked her.

Lois slid herself around in front of him, her arms still draped around his abdomen. "We were just given a pass to live the good life, if only for a while."

"Then why don't I feel good about it?"

She leaned upwards and kissed him tenderly. When she pulled, back, she looked up at him with her trademark smirk. "Because Clark, you wouldn't be my Smallville if you didn't."

Clark grinned at her and scooped her up in his arms. "I think someone needs a bath." He said with a smile, carrying her towards the bathroom.

Lois laughed as he manhandled her. "Good thing the tub is big enough for two."

"That's good indeed." He said, kissing her as he opened the bathroom door and went in with her cradled in his arms.


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

The week had passed without so much as a single incident, and the only thing that had changed was Clark's attitude. He was no longer sulking in the morning, in fact, he couldn't describe how waking up beside Lois felt. She was there for him every second, especially when the weight of leaving home began to crush him. He didn't cry, but she instinctively knew when he was feeling down. He loved her more than anything in the world. He still chuckled about it now and then. The fact that he would love another after Lana always seemed far fetched, but little did he know that it would actually happen. Lois was a special woman.

When they had moved into the house a few days ago, Lois had made sure to call Martha and tell her about what was going on. Mrs. Kent had said that Lex had explained much of it, and that keeping Clark in the dark about his father's heart attack wasn't such a good idea. Lois had tried to persuade her that she was doing it for a good reason, and eventually Martha came around. She did so only because Jonathon was indeed okay. He was being released for the hospital in a few days.

The house was much bigger than they could have imagined. It wasn't a mansion, but it was damn near close. The place was already fully furnished, and to there surprise, there was two vehicles in the garage. There was a Silverado for Clark and an SUV for Lois. She had called Lex up immediately to try and refuse the vehicles, but of course he would having nothing of it. She eventually accepted the gifts, as did Clark, but all the gifts were driving her up the wall in guilt. Clark had been taking it well, but he was hurting in his sleep. His dreams had become more troublesome every night. She would watch him constantly in bed, his eyebrows jumping and his body twitching violently. It hurt her to see him so troubled.

Lois exited the vehicle and closed the door. She had gone out for groceries, something she hadn't done since she had started living at the Kent farm. Walking to the back, She opened the hatchback and went for a few bags. She was stopped suddenly by two large hands grabbing her waist and turning her around. When his lips met hers, she forgot about all the groceries and lost herself in his embrace. It never surprised her how hopelessly lost she could get herself when with him. Every time his kissed her, her knees would go weak, and her stomach would tighten up. She finally pulled back from him to get a breath. "Happy to see me?" She asked with a smirk.

"Always." He replied, dipping his head and giving her a quick peck. "I needed that." He said, smiling at her wide.

"Why?" She looked at his white t-shirt and couldn't help notice it was too tight on him.

Clark shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling softly. "I had an interesting day with the principal at the school I'm going to be attending tomorrow."

"How so?" She asked, turning and grabbing a few bags.

He grabbed the rest and walked with her towards the house. "I got the sneaking suspicion that he didn't like my t-shirt, jeans and work boots."

Lois laughed at him, her head turning back to smile at him. "This is Beverly Hills, Smallville. The people at high school here wear designer clothes."

Clark laughed with her as they entered the house and walked towards the kitchen. "I can understand that, but is wearing jeans illegal around here?" He was just joking around; he was missing the bickering they were usually privy to.

"I like your jeans." She said, dropping the bags on the island counter. She turned around and slipped a few fingers around his belt and pulled him close. "Jeans come off easier than dress pants. And, you don't have to worry about wrinkles."

He grinned as he picked her up and sat her on the island counter. He attacked her lips as she draped her arms around his neck. There was no doubt in his mind that she was the woman for him. She challenged him, loved him and most of all, she understood him.

Lois disengaged herself from his lips and took a heavy breath. "Okay, I really need to get supper started." She said.

Clark laughed at her. It was more of a soft chuckle, but she still smirked at him. "I didn't know you learned to cook overnight." He smiled, lifting her off the island counter and setting her back down on the floor.

"I'm telling you Smallville, I have some culinary skills."

"Yeah right Lois, I've seen you burn eggs."

Lois brought a baking pan out of the drawer and smacked him with it. "Watch your mouth mister."

"Yes, ma'am." He replied mockingly. He continued to put away the groceries as Lois fixed dinner. It all seemed surreal, Lois never cooked. "Can I give you a hand?" He asked as he put away the milk.

"Yes." Lois replied, dropping a few chicken breasts on the pan in front of her. "Get out the potatoes and start peeling."

He nodded and found the bag of golden brown spuds in the pantry. Pulling out a few, he walked to he sink and rinsed them off. Finding a bowl, he looked around through numerous drawers for the peeler.

"Far right drawer." Lois said, never taking her eyes off the pan in front of her.

Clark opened the drawer and found the peeler. "Wow, you really know where everything is around here don't you?" he asked with a small laugh.

"Yes I do Smallville, now if you would hurry up, I'd like to eat before seven tonight." She smirked to herself as she pushed the breaded chicken breasts into the warm oven. The chicken would take more thirty minutes, so he didn't really need to hurry. She just enjoyed busting his chops too much to stop.

Clark groaned and continued his peeling. "What are you going to do since I'm going to school? You've got to find something to keep yourself busy."

Lois sighed as she walked up beside him and grabbed the peeler and the potato out of his hand. "You're too slow." She admonished, continuing to peel for him. "I haven't really thought about it right yet. Maybe I'll get a job, I'm not too sure."

Clark kissed her neck from behind. "Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure you'll be great at it." He kissed her neck again and went for the fridge. Fishing out the milk, he twisted off the cap and gave it a good smell.

She looked at him funny. "What are you doing?"

"Smelling the milk to make sure it's good." He replied, pulling out a glass and filling it.

"You don't trust that I can buy fresh milk?"

"That's not what I was checking. I'm very picky about my milk, you know that. I also know that you drink the same stuff I do, but sometimes different states use different sources." He paused and looked at the glass with an inspecting eyebrow. "In California they just un-banned steroids on their cattle, so I'm trying to make sure this stuff is still good."

Lois just shook her head in wonder. "You know more about milk than you do about anything else, don't you?" She asked with a laugh.

Clark shrugged as he took a sip and placed the glass back on the counter. He looked around at the large kitchen. There was a large island counter with a marble top. It was expensive, that he could tell. The cabinets were a dark oak finish, and the appliances were all top of the line. "You know, I get the feeling this house isn't quite the price Lex told us it was."

"I'll agree with you on that. He said something about it costing around a million, but the kitchen alone is worth that." Lois finished the peeling and cut up the potatoes into a bowl.

He finished his glass and slipped it into the dishwasher. "Not to worry, it'll do, won't it?" He asked.

Lois laughed at him. "It'll more than do." She said, flipping her pony tail over her left shoulder as she put the bowl of potatoes in the microwave. "Plus, as long as I have you, I could live in a sewer."

Once again, Clark let out a good laugh. "Wow Lois, I didn't know you were such a sappy romantic."

She punched him in the shoulder for good measure. "And you don't know when to take a compliment." She said with a smirk. She was shut up as he kissed her suddenly. Not again, she thought to herself as her knees went weak.

Clark scooped her up and moved towards the stairs that led to the bedroom.

She was fed up with him handling her like a sack of grain. Managing to wiggle her way out of his grasp, she hit him again for good measure. "Not now." She chided. "There's food in the oven."

He pouted at her as he stopped at the bottom step. "Party pooper." He said with a grin.

"Ha!" Lois laughed as she made her way back to the kitchen.

Clark could hear her laughter cutting through the house as he slowly turned around and walked back towards the kitchen too. "You know Lois, I could order a pizza now so that once you're done burning the food, we will actually have something to eat."

"Shut up." She hollered as she grabbed a few plates and set the dining room table.

He just grinned and went about helping her with the task. Grabbing a few glasses from the cupboard, he set them on the table along with the plates and utensils. "Maybe we should go and meet some of the neighbors. It can never hurt to be on the good side of those who live near you."

Lois shook her head as she set down the last of the forks and knives. "If you haven't noticed Smallville, people who live here don't like to be bothered. They have gates for a reason."

"That's too bad, neighbors shouldn't be wary of each other."

"You have so much to learn about the city." She laughed.

"Then teach me." He said, snaking out a hand and pulling her close to him.

Lois giggled, her eyes rising up his chest to his face. "Okay."

-

Clark woke up early, a little nervous about his first day at a new school. He had found out that where he was going was a place where numerous actors' children went. That didn't bother him, but it would feel strange to be in the same school as some of the children of the elite people in Hollywood. He fixed himself a lunch and put it into his knapsack. Lois was still asleep as he quietly slipped out the door. He was sure that she would have liked to be up to see him off, but he knew she was exhausted. A sly grin split his lips as he opened the truck door and tossed his bag inside. Pushing the button on the dash by the radio, the garage door opened. Starting the vehicle, he drove out, the truck rumbling as he pushed the button again and the door closed.

Things were a little too easy it seemed, but he wasn't going to complain. He did up his seatbelt and took off towards the school. He was nervous like he couldn't believe.

-

As he drove into the school parking lot, he couldn't help but notice the expensive cars and SUV's that littered it. His truck was the only one in the lot, and as he exited it, he could see numerous Porsche's, Corvette's and even a few Lamborghini's. He soon realized that he was going to one very elite school. He would have to call Lex and thank him, or possibly complain, all depending on how his first day was about to turn out.

Grabbing his bag, he slung it over his shoulder and locked the truck. He parked far enough away from the front of the school as to not draw much attention to himself. To him, he was nothing more than a normal guy going to school, but he was sure he would draw attention because of his clothing. He went with his regular boots, jeans, and white t-shirt. He wasn't going to change the way he dressed to impress a bunch of snooty rich kids. The person's opinion that mattered to him the most was the one of the woman back at home.

With his pack slung over his right shoulder, he stuffed his left hand into his pocket as he made the trudge towards the front entrance. School hadn't started yet, and although it was a cool morning, every student, or what seemed like every student, was hanging around on the front grass. He caught a few strange looks as he made his way up the steps. There were a few people with such baggy clothes he though they were trying to catch wind and fly. It took all he had not to laugh at it. It was the most ridiculous sight he had ever seen.

Just above the entrance was the words "Hills High." Clark frowned a little at the lack of an extensive name. He was surprised with the simplicity of it. Feigning ignorance, he disregarded everyone's leering eyes as he made his way towards his first class. He pulled out a map and looked at it keenly. The school was large, with multiple floors and wings, but luckily he wasn't fazed by such a task. He was a senior, not a freshman, and he didn't feel at all timid, only just a little nervous.

Finding the door to his English class, he opened it and entered. There was no one inside but the teacher, and elderly man in a beige sport coat. He was tall, bald, but stood at the blackboard with a rigid stance. "This is English, isn't it?" He needed to be sure.

The man turned around and responded in a deep voice. "Yes young man. What can I do for you?"

"I'm Clark Kent, I'm just starting here."

"Ah yes." The teacher replied, grabbing an attendance sheet off the desk and sliding his glasses down his nose to look at it. "Clark Kent, aha, I see your name." He extended his hand.

Clark shook the teacher's hand, surprised with the strength the old man possessed. "Any you are?" Clark asked politely.

"Oh, I'm Mr. Mickelson, nice to meet you son." He dropped the paper on his desk and turned his back to the young man as he began to write something on the blackboard. "Class doesn't start for about five minutes, you can take a seat if you wish, but most of the students like to hang around in the halls until the bell rings."

"No that's fine, I'll take a seat." He found something near the back of the class and sat himself down. The farther from the front, the less people would have the chance to look at him. He removed a binder and a pen from his bag, setting them in front of himself.

"So lad, where are you from?" Mr. Mickelson asked as he sat down at his desk and took a sip of coffee.

"Kansas." Clark replied, looking up from his binder.

"Kansas?" He rolled off his tongue. "I've got your transcript on my desk here. Looks like you were quite a good student. Exemplary marks in all your studies. I don't see how there will any difficulty for you here."

"Thanks." Clark responded awkwardly. Praise was one thing he had trouble handling. Silence fell over the room as he waited for the bell to ring. It finally did, and students began to pour into the room at an alarming rate. They all stared at him for a few moments, but began talking amongst themselves within seconds. To them he was nothing more than a new student. He smiled to himself because that's exactly the way he wanted it.

He bent over towards his bag and rummaged through it to find a red pen. He heard a voice behind him suddenly.

"Yo, that's my seat."

Clark looked over his shoulder to see one of the people he had seen with the baggy clothes standing beside his desk. Did these people not know how to talk? He asked himself. "I'm sorry." Clark responded, grabbing his pen and setting it on his binder. He didn't make any motion to move, and that seemed to bother the guy standing beside him.

"I said you're in my seat."

"So?" Clark asked, looking up at the young man with no hint of emotion.

"So?" The teen said sarcastically. "Get out of it, dog."

Clark had heard someone call people dog before. It was that guy from some tv show. It actually felt mildly offensive. He was taught to have better language than that. "I'm fine where I am." Clark replied, not too happy with the way he was being treated. They may be young, but that doesn't mean there can't be some type of respect.

"Dog, you're in my seat." The lad wasn't getting any happier.

Clark gripped his binder in frustration and looked up at the young man. "You've said that already, but as you can see, I am already in it. Now, if you'd kindly stop calling me a dog." His words came out a little more threatening than he would have liked.

"Dog! Get out of my seat." He almost yelled.

Clark grunted in frustration as he looked to the teacher, who was busying himself on the board again. Not wanting to draw too much attention, he made his decision. He grabbed his binder and knapsack and got up to find another desk.

"That's right dog. That's my seat." The teen said with an urban drawl.

He made sure to stand up right in front of the young man. Clark smiled as he towered over the man by almost six inches. The teen gulped visibly as he found an empty desk near the front. He could hear a few soft giggles from some of the girls as he sat down in a new desk.

"Jerk."

Clark spun his head around to see a young woman with long curly blond hair smile at him. "What was that?" he asked politely.

"Marcus, he's a jerk." She said with a tight smile. "Hi, I'm Vanessa." She smiled again, showing her perfect white teeth.

"Clark." He said in return, giving her his best awkward smile. "Nice to meet you Vanessa."

"Just call me Ness, Clark." She giggled a little at his sloppy grin.

Clark nodded and turned back around as the teacher began to get everyone's attention. He paid close attention to every word the teacher said, making sure he understood what was going on.

The class lasted for just over an hour. It wasn't that bad he told himself. Mr. Mickelson made it interesting, even if the subject matter was incredibly boring. The man wielded sarcasm and humor within his teaching; it made everything run a lot smoother. Before he knew it, the bell rang and the class was over. Surprisingly, he didn't get any homework. Grinning just a little, he slipped his binder into his bag and went out the door and into the hall. He pulled out his timetable and nodded to himself. After the little business in the classroom, he was glad he had a spare for second period.

"So, where are you from?" Vanessa asked as she slipped in beside him.

Clark looked over in surprise. She was nearly as tall as him, her long legs and shoes definitely the source of her altitude. She was dressed in tight jeans, with a red sleeveless shirt. He got caught up in her smell for a second, but came crashing back to reality as he answered her question. "Kansas." He replied.

"That explains the politeness." She said with a laugh. "Not too many people around here wield that."

"I've noticed." Clark answered with a dry tone.

She stayed quiet for a second, but found her bearings soon enough. "So, where are you off to next?" She asked him quietly.

"I have a spare, so I thought I'd take a look around the school. I'm going to need to know where to be so that I don't get lost." He closed the paper in his hand and shoved it into his right pocket.

"I'll show you around if you don't mind the company?" She offered.

Clark looked over at her as they continued to walk beside one another. She was quite a sight, tall, thin, poised, and blue eyes that sparkled like the moon on a clear night. He shook himself of the daze he was in, and nodded to her. "That'd be great." He answered awkwardly.

The bell rang again and soon the halls were completely empty. "Do you not have a class to get to?" he asked suddenly.

"No." She replied, still walking confidently with her binder under her arm.

Clark didn't believe her. The way she held herself made for almost a convincing lie, but he saw right through it. If anything, he thought she was interested in him. Shrugging away those thoughts, he nodded his head. "Are you originally from here?" He asked. "That's if you don't mind me asking."

Smiling to herself, she realized that he tried everything he could to not hurt her feelings. She found it sweet and endearing. "No, my family moved here from Milwaukee a few months ago."

"Do you like it here?"

She shrugged half heartedly. "I guess its okay. I'm going to miss the snow though." She looked far down the hall as they continued to walk side by side.

"How about the school?" He asked her a second later.

"My, you sure are the inquisitive type." She said with a smile.

Clark shrugged as he opened the door for her. "I'm just curious as to my surroundings." He replied softly.

"Old fashioned too." She said with a small chuckle escaping her mouth.

"No, doing what anyone else I know would do." He said with another shrug.

"No one around here does that sort of thing." She commented. "These people here aren't really the type of people I like to associate with."

Clark could feel the bitterness in her words. "Then why do you come here?" He asked as he opened another door that led into the empty cafeteria. He placed his bag on a table. She sat down, but he stood standing. "I'm going to get a coffee, want one?" He asked.

"That's sweet." She said with a smile. "But they don't sell coffee to students."

"Why?"

"Something about how caffeine isn't good for us. Sounds like a bunch of bull to me though."

Clark sighed as he sat himself down across from her. "After what happened in the classroom this morning, I can see why. I could have sworn the guy was wearing parachute pants, they were huge."

Vanessa laughed loudly. "I don't get it either, but they seem to be full of themselves when they're dressed like that." She looked at him warmly; he had the most striking smile she had ever seen. "I'm assuming you didn't take to kindly to his use of speech either."

"No." Clark said without much emotion. "I've had people swear and yell at me, but the way he spoke was disrespectful. At least when someone swear and yells, they're caught up in the moment, but speaking like he did is just annoying."

She nodded, her eyes drinking in the site of him. He was obviously either fresh off the farm, or had gone to some kind of proper manner training. No one acted the way he did. It was what she was used to though. Her life was filled with great, but stern parents who taught her to act like a proper young lady. "Where did you learn to act like a gentleman?"

Clark was surprised at her question. To him, he was acting just like everyone back home would. "I'm just being myself." He answered.

"That can't be all, your parents must be pretty good people to have raised you right." When she finished, she saw a look of pain cross his face. Thinking she may have brought up a sore subject, she tried to hastily back step. "I'm sorry if-."

Clark shook his head and held up a few fingers. "It's okay." He saw her tense a little, so he decided to explain to her a little more about himself. "Yes, my parents raised me well."

"Looks like we have something in common." She said with a smile.

He was nervous about the way she was smiling at him. He could have sworn it was something more than a friendly grin. "Well." He began hesitantly. "I grew up on a farm, so I guess I'm what you call old fashioned." When she just stared at him, listening intently, he continued. "Kind of ran away from home, but they're okay with it."

"You don't mind me asking why you ran away do you?" She tried to be as tender as possible.

Clark shrugged. "I put some people in danger, and I needed to get away before anything bad might happen."

Her mind raced for understanding. "You're not a criminal on the run, are you?" She asked suddenly. Her question was answered by a warm laugh.

"No, but I just have to stay away for a while."

"So you're out here by yourself, living in Beverly Hills? Are you sure you're not a criminal. That or your parents are incredibly rich." She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Things didn't really add up, and she could also tell he was hiding something.

He wasn't sure how much information he could reveal to someone he didn't know. "I have a friend with money." He said quietly, not willing to reveal much more than that.

She was skeptical, but she would believe him for now. "Are you out here all by yourself then?"

"No."

Her stomach tightened a little. She liked him, and she could only hope he was single. Normally she was wary about the men she met, but he was certainly different than most of the men she had met.

Clark could see that she wasn't going to like his answer, and to spare her feelings, he lied. "A good friend of mine came with me."

The breath that was held in was let go in relief. It was strange that she felt such a strong pull to him, and it would have crushed her just a little to know if he had a girlfriend. Her past with men was pretty poor.

"Why did you move to California?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"My little sister is a child actor, and my parents decided it was cheaper to live here rather than fly back and forth all the time."

"Let me guess, you're not too happy that you moved here?"

"How can you guess?" she asked with tight chuckle.

Clark shrugged. "I can just feel it. The way you talk about this school and the way people act, it sounds a lot like me if I was more open about my opinions."

"Well, we can't all be satisfied with our surroundings. I will say one thing though; it's good for my sister. She's been having a blast ever since we moved. She loves her classmates and her work. It's good to see her happy."

He listened as her words were strong and happy, but then they began to grow annoyed and bitter. There was a lot of resentment in her voice too. "Sometimes suffering so others can be happy is the price you have to pay. Trust me; I've had my share of those moments."

His words were surprisingly calming, and there was gentleness to them that she felt radiating towards her. "I get the feeling that sometimes my parents sacrifice a lot for me and my sister. I know they don't like it here either. They don't say so, but I can tell." She sighed as he gave her helpless smile.

The bell ran suddenly, bringing them out of their own little world. Clark got up out of his chair and slung his backpack over his right shoulder. "I'm heading back home for lunch. If you want, I can give you ride back to your place."

"That'd be great." She said cheerfully, her spirits picking up instantly.


	10. Chapter 10

**I know this is short, but I decided to make an abrupt end. I'm likely not going to write another fan fiction chapter for the longest time. I'm disapointed in myself as to the quality of my writing of late, and I'm stopping to try and find what it is that I'm missing. I want to thank everyone who has read this or any other of my works. This fic itself was intended to last nearly as long as possible, but I gave it an ending so that there is no confusion. Yes, there will likely be a sequel should I ever return, but don't hold your breath.** **Once again, I wish to thank all the people who reviewed, you are my inspiration. I started Snooze You Lose just over two months ago, and I couldn't be more surprised how much I had written, and the numerous other fics I had started. Once again, I thank you for reading.  
**

**  
Goodbye for now, and best of health to you all.  
**

Ch. 10

The drive had been quiet and bothersome. He had caught Ness staring at him lustfully, more than a few times in fact. It was unsettling, but most of all, he couldn't help shake the feeling that he was cheating on Lois. He knew that he couldn't control the want and need of others, but it always bothered him when people seemed to have their eyes on him. Once he had dropped her off, at what looked like a mansion, he had driven home slowly. There wasn't much time to get back to school, but he had made the decision to forgo anymore school for the day. He felt guilty for something he knew wasn't a crime, but for some inexplicable he felt the need to tell Lois.

Pulling the truck into the driveway, he took off his seatbelt, not bothering to put the vehicle in the garage. Leaving his backpack inside, he opened the door and made for the front door. He went to open the door, but it was surprisingly locked. Fishing the keys out of his pocket, he unlocked the front door and entered. "Lois?" He called out, hoping she was home. When he was greeted with only silence, he walked warily into the kitchen. She couldn't still be in bed, he was sure of that. Setting his keys on the counter, he reached out and picked up a notepad. Lois had scribbled something down on it.

_Clark, I woke up feeling ill this morning. I called Lex and he set up an appointment with a doctor. Don't worry, I'm sure everything is fine, and I hope to be back before you do._

He read it over again and walked to the phone with the pad still in his hand. There was a number on the pad too, just in case he needed to get in touch with her. He dialed her new cell number and waited anxiously for her to pick it up.

"_Smallville?" She asked. _

"Yeah Lois. I got your note, are you sure you're okay?

_Lois paused a second before she answered. "I'm sure of it Clark." She paused for another second. "The doctor is coming in; I'll call you back after my appointment is done."_

"Okay." He replied slowly, his voice trailing off with concern. There was something in her voice that was different. It sounded like apprehension, maybe even fear. When she hung up a second later without saying so much as a goodbye, he became horribly worried. What in the world was with her, he asked himself as he sat down at the island counter. Resting his chin on both sets of knuckles, he took a deep breath and hoped she only had the flu.

-

Lois watched the retreating form of the doctor go out the door as she slipped her phone open and looked at the number that was displayed on the screen. No, she said to herself. This kind of information needed to be told to him in person. She was scared to death, but in a strange way she knew it would make him happier than he had ever been, and that, in the end is what made her happy. Yes, they were young and more than a little reckless, but they would definitely to get through it together. "Well, let's go get some ice cream shall we?" She said with a shaky voice, laughing at the same time.


End file.
